The Charade
by pennytree
Summary: In which Bonnie decides to be a good friend for the 1,398th time, helps her friends get to the altar, gets embroiled in the world of the Gemini coven, and meets Kai Parker. Who, turns out, might be halfway decent boyfriend material...someday. A/U, set a few years in the future. Bonnie, Kai, Tyler, Liv, Matt, Caroline.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.

 **The Charade**

 *** PART ONE ***

 _CHAPTER ONE_

Having friends could be hard on a girl.

"I know it's risky, but it's the only way." Tyler's brown eyes were full of plea.

"And we can't do it without you," added the blonde woman sitting beside him. "Please, Bonnie?"

In unison, she and Tyler exchanged a glance, before they both turned and threw Bonnie what she suspected was a well-timed, well-planned look of despair.

"Why don't you guys just elope?" Bonnie asked.

"My family won't accept that. My father will just track us down." Liv bit her lip. "It won't work."

Bonnie sighed, thinking regretfully of her vacation brochures, resting in a hopeful stack on her desk in her bedroom. She had planned the trip months back, thinking to use the time to reconnect with nature by hiking, camping, and generally enjoying quiet time away from the escapades that life in Mystic Falls constantly threw her.

Of course, it had to be the exact same week as Tyler and Liv's wedding.

She could feel their anxious eyes on her face, and felt smothered. Bonnie stood and walked to the bay window overlooking the street. Frowning at the sunny day outside, in direct contrast to her own plummeting mood, she blew out a puff of breath.

"We leave as soon as the reception's over." She needed that vacation, dammit.

The air in the room lightened as Tyler and Liv both laughed in delight. Their sighs of relief reached her ears, involuntarily drawing a smile from her, although she could feel her internal worry starting to grow.

One of her oldest friends, marrying into a coven of witches. Not really a groundbreaking event, for Mystic Falls. Despite the obvious baggage that Liv carried about her family and whatever history that her coven had over in Oregon, it felt far removed. Bonnie was sure, if she and Tyler regularly compared scorecards, that they were dead even as far as tallying the supernatural dramatics in their lives. They were a well-suited match, Bonnie realized, her smile growing.

Or would have been, if Liv's family had looked favorably on all supernatural creatures alike.

Tyler being a werewolf complicated things. The pair had been successful in avoiding having the family meet Tyler thus far. And they planned to keep it that way all the way through their engagement. Bonnie wasn't sure how they would manage that because, according to Liv, the customary events that witch covens imposed on newly engaged members, seemed to need the groom-to-be's involvement.

"How, exactly, are you going to keep your family and Tyler apart until your wedding day?"

Tyler and Liv gave her matching uncomfortable smiles. "We have a couple of ideas," Tyler said, looking away.

Bonnie raised a brow at Liv.

"My twin, Luke, he's been helping, too. He's the only one who knows about Tyler."

"I think I like his plan better than yours," Tyler muttered. "Luke's a whiz with faking appearances. And his husband looks sort of like me, so we're thinking to use him as my stand-in for some of the pre-wedding stuff."

"A glamour transfer," Bonnie said, impressed. "Not a bad idea. That kind of spell is pretty simple and would fly under everyone's radar."

Liv shook her head. "It would only work for a few hours. Eventually the essence of the person standing in breaks through."

Bonnie's curiosity piqued. "What's your approach, Liv?"

But the other girl couldn't seem to look Bonnie, and it was Tyler who answered, his face red, "Um, we're working on that." He gave Bonnie what looked like an almost pained smile. "Let's-let's, uh, think about back up."

Bonnie looked at him, surprised that he'd even have to ask. She knew exactly who back up would be.

"Are you insane?" Caroline demanded.

"On a list of bad ideas, this is up there," added Matt.

It was the following day, and the three sat huddled in a corner booth at the Grill. Bonnie continued chewing on her sandwich, but Caroline and Matt in tandem had stopped sipping their drinks, their mouths almost hanging open as they stared at her.

"Bonnie, you can't hide Tyler's aura from, what, a hundred witches in one room." Caroline scoffed, looking at Matt. "That's like trying to put a band aid over a gaping cut and hoping vampires won't notice."

Bonnie leaned back, exhaling. "Liv and I found a spell-"

Caroline snorted.

Matt cleared his throat. "At least we have two witches working on it."

"As far as I'm concerned, Bonnie's clearly the only witch worth her salt in that pair. I mean, hello, she does get paid for her services now. She's a pro."

After college, Bonnie had spent a few years drifting from job to job, trying to find her fit. Her latest work, as a research assistant for a non-profit, allowed her to clock in odd hours and log in time from home. So far, it was a good fit for her, since she occasionally moonlighted and offered her supernatural abilities for a fee, when the case was right.

Even though most of her friends remained in Mystic Falls and were as close as ever, it was Caroline and Matt that she saw on a regular basis, due in part to the line of work they had all followed. Matt had gone on to become a police officer, while Caroline had abandoned her drama and musical theater background to work as a paralegal. Every once in a while, Bonnie's side jobs brought her to one or the other, and occasionally all three had to put their heads together to puzzle out a common denominator in their individual cases.

"We have some time to practice," Bonnie said. "Don't underestimate Liv. She grew up in a witch family. She's got great technique."

"Whatever."

Matt couldn't hide back a grin. "Care, Ty already explained why they couldn't invite you to the wedding. Unless you feel like being anuerysmed to death, or burned-no vampires. Don't hold it against Liv, otherwise, you come across like a jealous ex-girlfriend."

The blonde vampire sniffed. "Please. Tyler and I were friends long before we dated. And I'm not that petty. Right, Bon?"

Bonnie stayed silent, but scrunched up one side of her face in semi agreement with Matt.

"Bonnie!" Then Caroline's shoulders slumped. "It's just been so long since I've been to a _real_ wedding."

"What about Elena and Damon's-"

"Ugh, don't get me started. Those two didn't even give us proper warning, and there was really no one else there, and it was...boring!" Caroline threw her hands up in aggravation. "All those years of drama with the will they or won't they, and finally more years waiting for Damon to get his ass in gear with a proposal, and then...I mean...all that _money_ Damon's got...all for nothing! Elena didn't even let me order her a proper dress," she finished in a small, aggrieved voice.

Matt's face had started taking on a look of indigestion as Caroline appeared to be on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

He threw Bonnie a "do something" glance, prompting her to say, "Hey, you know, how about you take Liv up on her invitation to help her pick out dresses and all that other jazz brides do."

"She didn't mean it."

"Of course she did! She says she's terrible at it, I'm not really a party planner, and if you don't do it, then we'll end up leaving everything to her oldest brother." Bonnie frowned, trying to remember which one that was from the family picture Liv had shown her. "I think he's the one who wears a lot of black. And the occasional reindeer sweater." She shrugged. "Maybe he'll go with a Goth or moose hunt theme."

Caroline shuddered. "Fine, I'll do it!" she said tightly, then turned sideways, adding, "Matt, as best man, you should do something other than plan the bachelor party. And since Elena's off on her never ending trip with Damon, and Stefan and Alaric are helping Jeremy with that nest of ripper vampires...I think you should volunteer to be my assistant."

"Riiight." His face not quite thrilled, Matt nonetheless gave a small, reluctant nod at the insistent grin she threw his way.

Caroline then picked up her phone to dial someone, her eyes perking up brightly when the other line picked up. "Hi, Liv..." she began in a singsong voice.

Matt dropped his elbows on the table, his head in his hands. "Not again," he mumbled.

Bonnie smiled in sympathy.

* * *

The weeks flew by. While Caroline's careful behind the scenes planning was shaping up to be the best decision they'd made, allowing Liv to pass all the finished details over to her family without any hiccups, the free time gave the two witches opportunities to perfect the spell. They were becoming adept at veiling their auras, and had started practicing on Tyler.

The natural fibers of werewolf magic that clung to him ran stronger during periods of a full moon. Liv had had to change her wedding date as a result, after she and Bonnie had consulted several almanacs to pinpoint when the exact night was for a new moon during the month of her wedding. Her family had grumbled quite a bit about the change, most notably her father and a few of what Liv called her high strung sisters.

Joshua Parker didn't come across as a decent man. The few times Bonnie had walked in on Liv in a heated discussion on the phone, it had been with her father, and it had always ended in a shouting match.

The last time it happened, Liv had broken down into tears.

Her own Grams had kept Bonnie in the dark about magic until her powers had naturally manifested. Liv's father appeared to have force fed all things witch-related to his children, immersing them from a young age in traditions and sacrifices that most modern covens no longer adhered to. His children had been nothing more than a means to an end, that being the position of leadership among his family, garnering fear and respect from the other clans.

"He wants Tyler to take up the oath," Liv said, tears on her face as Bonnie sat beside her, offering a tissue. "To show loyalty to the covenant above everything else. It's something we do when an outsider-someone who's not a witch-marries into the family."

"Your brother in law can't take Tyler's place?"

"No, he's already gone through the ritual. It strips everyone down, reveals your true nature. Everyone would know him immediately. And if Tyler goes through it..." Liv's face crumpled again. "My father would kill him on the spot."

Bonnie shook her head, frowning. "It doesn't sound like something you should have to do, though. What if you married someone who's devout to their faith? You would be asking them to renounce it for the sake of your family's covenant."

Liv's eyes gleamed with hope. "Right. Okay. Tyler's Catholic. I don't know how devout he is, but sometimes after we visit his parents' graves, he takes me to church. That counts, right?"

"I think so."

Liv hugged her. "Thank you, Bonnie."

"Do you think your father will accept it?"

"He has no choice. I can talk to my brother, the one next in line. Sometimes, he can get through to my father."

Liv sat lost in thought for a moment, then added in a whisper, "It will be so much better when my brother kills him finally."

Taken aback, Bonnie blinked, unsure of how to respond.

Liv wiped her face. "It's not as bad as it sounds. Going by Parker family lore, five of the last eight leaders had to be taken down by force, when they got too old to lead. So it's almost expected." She laughed without any humor. "It's like they don't know how to let go of their power."

"It's all so...Mafioso," Bonnie admitted. "Why not just elect people?"

Her friend shrugged. "My grandfather had plans to overhaul a lot of the traditions, but then he had a heart attack. Left him weak. He stepped down peacefully, but when my father took over, things sort of-went backwards. He thinks our coven always needs more power, he's so paranoid about everything. He introduced ancient rituals-a lot of them gruesome..."

Bonnie eyed her with unease. "Sounds like after you marry, you and Tyler would be spending the rest of your lives together hiding from your family."

Liv set her chin resolutely. "Only for a little while. When Kai becomes coven head, we won't have to hide."

Bonnie raised her brows in question. "You're so sure he won't follow in your father's steps?"

"Once upon a time, I would've told you he'd be worse. I was really young, but I remember he used to scare the crap out of me and Luke all the time. For fun, he'd pretend to be stalking us around the house, and basically just terrorize us."

Bonnie's eyes widened. And this was the same person Liv hoped would replace their father? "Doesn't sound like the apple fell far from the tree."

Liv shook her head sadly. "You don't understand. Out of all of us, my brother got it the worst. My father and the rest of the coven elders-they locked him up, away from the rest of us, for weeks on end. They called him a monster, because he can steal another witch's magic." Liv's face was lost in troubled memories. "When he was seventeen, my mom finally snapped. She hexed my father. He was in a coma for a month. When he woke up, my mom and Kai were both gone. Eventually she came back. But I didn't see my brother again, until a couple years ago."

Bonnie frowned. "What happened to him?"

"He got _lucky_ ," Liv replied, her laugh bitter. "The time away changed him. Not only that, but somehow, he looks closer to mine and Luke's age than he does to Jo, his own twin. Don't ask me how or why, though. He never talks about it."

"How do you know he'll have yours and Tyler's back then, when the time comes?"

"When he came back, he could've easily killed my father and ripped everyone else in the coven to shreds. But he didn't." Liv's hand balled the tissue in a fist. "My father was going to force me and Luke to merge when we turned twenty-two."

"Merge?"

"It's the Gemini twin ceremony, it determines leadership among our coven. Whoever wins permanently gains the other's magic."

"What happens to the loser?"

"Usually the weaker twin dies."

"Your family traditions could really use improvement," Bonnie muttered.

"Kai showed up before the ceremony. He found a way around it that left my sister alive and well." She turned to Bonnie. "He was supposed to take over then, but instead he named himself heir."

"Isn't it a sign of progress that at least one ceremony didn't end in bloodshed?"

She shook her head. "He's the most powerful member of the coven by far, Bonnie. My father might officially be the leader, but he's terrified of Kai. And in order for our coven practices to improve? Kai needs to take him out of the picture."

While Liv looked satisfied saying those words, for all appearances happily plotting her father's demise, the dread that had sparked in Bonnie's chest only grew.

* * *

 _NOTES:_

I've been quietly following the Bonkai craze for the past month and was really sad this week, learning we won't get to see it unfold the way it should on screen. Been about three years not following the show after Kevin Williamson left and it went downhill. I tuned in randomly earlier this season and was pleasantly surprised with Bonnie and Kai, and started watching again. Then came the showrunner's rampage, to deflate our hopes for these characters. TBH, since season 1, it was obvious that Bonnie is a character that will never get explored properly within the confines of the show. Double that for Kai, since he's new 6 seasons in, not a vampire, and just way too f'd up in the head for a CW series anyway. In an ideal world, Bonnie/Kai would have their own show on HOB or Showtime.

I was all ready to go back to forgetting about the show, and this ship. But...I just couldn't. This idea popped up, and I can't function until this story's purged from my busy brain. I hope this fic does them a little justice. Enjoy. :)


	2. Chapter 2

_CHAPTER TWO_

The sound of a door slamming open woke him out of his dreamless slumber.

"Malachai!" came the yell.

Grumbling under his breath, Kai shook the haze of sleep from his eyes and rolled out of bed.

"Malachai, get up!"

He walked towards the floor to ceiling windows of his bedroom. His apartment had wraparound views of Portland downtown, unimpeded by blinds or curtains. Through the immaculately clean windows awaited a dusky sky and a scatter of surrounding high rise buildings. The few lights that were on told him much of the city was still dead to the world. It was far, far too early for his father to be having another episode of manic paranoia.

Kai wiped a tired hand over his face and sighed. Weddings in his family were killer. Since returning to the family fold and taking over some of the coven governance, three weddings had come to pass and every one of them had been witness to some type of calamity or another.

His hippy bohemian sister's marriage to a public defender-the ceremony crashed by a disgruntled client of the new groom's. His brother's shotgun wedding to a very young fledgling witch barely out of high school-interrupted by the girl's ex-boyfriend and parents, all of whom were members of a rival coven. His youngest brother's nuptials to another man had started out as one of the more laid-back receptions in the history of the Parker family, because Luke was nothing if not a beach ceremony type of guy-if only Joshua Parker hadn't stumbled in, eyes blazing and spouting pretty much every offensive homophobic slur possible.

The humiliation had been unbearable, not only on Luke's behalf but also for the entire coven, because then the rest of the community saw that the former proud, domineering Gemini patriarch had been reduced to a petty, bigoted tyrant. It hadn't bothered Kai much to knock his father out, quickly, publicly, and brutally. He was nothing if not aware that the audience closely monitored every one of his movements. Not that he really cared for their opinions, but power struggles were ever present and his family needed to stay on top, with or without Joshua Parker.

And yet, Kai still hadn't taken over. Despite his late-twenties appearance, biologically he was over forty years old and still holding the title of 'heir,' long past the age when leadership would have transferred.

For as long as he could remember, being head of the coven was all he'd wanted. Then his grandfather had died, followed shortly after by his mother. A lot of things in his life suddenly lost their appeal.

"We need to help your sister!" came his father's voice from down the hall. "This wedding has to be stopped!"

Gritting his teeth, he turned and strode to the door, masking the annoyance he felt as he carefully opened it.

"Usually I'm a morning person," he said, walking past the guest room his father used. The older man stood in the doorway, his face haunted. "But your approach to greeting the day? Not okay."

His father trailed him to the kitchen. "It's those nightmares again." The older man slumped down at the counter seat behind the steel island. "I know you don't really believe me, but these visions I'm having-they mean something. Tyler Lockwood can't be trusted."

Everyone knew that while the coven, under Kai's persuasion, had given their blessing to the match, Joshua Parker's absence from all festivities in the last few weeks marked trouble. He had withheld his RSVP, and allowed Kai to step into the role of walking the bride down the aisle. It was safe to say that his father had no guest room awaiting him at the lodge.

For all intents and purposes, Joshua Parker seemed like a man in exile. Inviting him to stay over in the days leading up to the wedding had, at first, seemed like a good idea. With the family home left empty after the death of his mother, his father living in another town over an hour away, and his siblings scattered to all corners of Oregon, Kai's apartment was the closest location to the resort lodge that Liv had booked for the wedding. So preemptively, because he could read his father like a book, Kai had asked him to stay close by in case of trouble. And the old man had all but jumped at the chance.

But actually spending the last few days with him meant having to listen to the same litany of sunny conversations involving dire peril to the coven and "trust no one" warnings. Kai didn't bother playing along, but by way of compromise, he had given his word to follow the usual protocol when it came to large events and making sure his family stayed protected.

He set out making breakfast for them, scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Joshua stayed quiet, begrudgingly so. Kai could feel the resentment in his father's gaze on his back. It didn't bother him.

They both knew a long time ago that Kai was merely tolerating his father's leadership.

"You ever heard of Ambien, dad?" Kai said lightly. "I really think it'll do wonders for your sleep." He offered his father a full plate.

Joshua didn't meet his son's eyes as he hunched over his plate. "We have to stop this wedding," he repeated, his expression mulish.

Kai chewed on his eggs thoughtfully. "I _had_ been hoping to get a couple more hours of rest," he said. "You know, I hate to go anywhere looking like a zombie. Especially somewhere that involves hobnobbing with the most watchful group of people on earth. But I guess I can start my day early. What's a little work in the name of our coven, right?"

His father looked up hopefully.

"I'll head out and set up the ward this morning."

"That's it?" said his father, in disgust. "A ward won't be enough."

"Mine will," Kai said, in icy tones.

His father's eyes grew hard and angry. "If you were a better son, you would heed me. Take your responsibilities seriously. Your coven needs you."

"Says the man who's missing from his own daughter's wedding. And who ruined one of his son's." Kai chortled, grabbing the handle of his coffee mug. "You might want to take a better look at that kettle you're calling black, old man."

His father lapsed into silence again. Kai allowed it to settle over them like a cold blanket. Gabbing was a gift of his, but in moments like these, with someone who had made his life miserable for the better part of his childhood-silence was golden. It allowed the hostility between the two men, often repressed since Kai's return to the fold, to bubble up to the surface and simmer.

When his plate was clear and his coffee done, Kai rose without another glance at his father. "There's a lot to do today," he said over his shoulder. "Lots of responsibilities which, incidentally, I'm handling on your behalf. Isn't that funny?" He dropped the amusement in his voice, adding in a quietly menacing tone, "Since you won't come with me to help, consider this me asking you nicely: don't get in the way. It's Liv's weekend. We're going to let her have it."

Then he went to the bathroom to get ready, whistling.

Nearly an hour later, standing in the middle of a clearing on the resort estate, Kai sat amidst a circle of runes and candles, finishing the incantation for his ward. He felt its invisible force rise up and away, shrouding the area, stretching out past the lake.

This damn wedding _was_ going to happen. The ward would fend off those with evil intentions towards any member of the Geminis. He'd had to be specific in the casting, otherwise he was pretty sure some of the invited guests would have found themselves unable to enter the grounds. What witch gathering, after all, was complete without rival covens attending to partake in the fun and insult their hosts?

Satisfied with his work, he stood and packed the items he had brought into his knapsack. The dawning light behind him cast his long shadow on the lawn, as he walked back towards the main entrance.

He contemplated going back to his car and taking a quick nap, but remembered Jo had set up an impromptu breakfast to go over everything before meeting up with the guests. Sighing, he stopped to stretch, working out the kinks in his back. In doing so, he caught a glimpse of an open window on the top floor of the east wing.

A girl stood in front of it, the early light of the sun hitting her face. She looked...sublimely content.

Gazing at her, Kai's steps slowed. He was jealous of that look and wished he could share whatever it was she felt. She opened her eyes then, and he was sure she saw him. On the verge of feeling awkward, he was about to look away when suddenly he saw her drop out of sight from the window.

 _Did she just duck?_ He laughed to himself, then dismissed it from his mind, as he went to meet with his family.

* * *

Hearing the alarm going off for the third time, a bedraggled Bonnie sat up in bed slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. It was day one of wedding weekend and she felt, somehow, like she was preparing for her own funeral.

The night before, she, Matt, and Caroline had taken a red-eye flight to Portland. Matt had dozed for most of the ride, and Bonnie had tried to follow suit, but Caroline had talked her ear off. Bouncing in her seat, it was obvious her friend was excited to be out of Mystic Falls and eager to be an outside spectator to the wedding that she had helped plan. She'd showed Bonnie her latest splurge, an expensive pair of high tech eyeglasses with a built in camera lens on one of the hinges. Matt would be wearing it throughout the weekend, sending the signal to Caroline's phone, allowing him to be her eyes.

When they'd dropped Caroline off at her hotel, she'd complained long and bitterly about not being able to book a room at the lodge where the reception was being held, and where Bonnie and Matt themselves had their rooms.

"We went over this already," Matt had said, looking ready to throttle his ex-girlfriend.

"I know, I know, no vampires." Caroline had gone inside, still sulking. "You guys better hope you don't need my super strength, or speed, or...mad makeup skills, these next couple days."

As tired as she'd been, Bonnie still managed to laugh. "I'll bring you back some goodies, Care."

Matt had then driven to the lodge in record time, looking forward to a proper bed for sleep. When they arrived at the gated entrance, and then drove past the sprawling grounds, taking in the beautiful lakes and mountains surrounding them, the two of them had been awestruck. Bonnie, especially, saw how perfect this location was. Surrounded by nature and miles of hiking all around, she'd wished for a moment, staring up at the huge rustic resort buildings sprawling before her, that this was her vacation for real.

And then she'd felt the stray thrumming of mingled power, restful in the late hour, but ready at a moment's notice to uncoil and strike. The beautiful perfect woodland setting around her was a potential deathtrap, housing at least a hundred strange witches.

Her sleep hadn't much been restful.

The early sun began to peek out through the shutters and sheer curtains. She pulled them open, unlatched the window, and breathed in fresh air, her eyes closed, reveling in the peace this country atmosphere offered. She allowed a small smile to play on her face, tempted to let her magic loose.

Bonnie whispered the incantation to reinforce the veil that she had dropped over her magical aura yesterday. Although Liv had been the one to find the spell originally in an obscure family text, it was Bonnie who had tweaked it. She'd wanted her magic hidden, not disabled. So the spell held up even if she herself used her magic. Any witch close enough in her vicinity would only be able to see the effects of her power, without being able to trace it to its source.

Liv had been suitably impressed, and Bonnie had felt a weird achievement in that. Raised without a coven, lacking proper guidance from elders and the support of a magical community, it thrilled her to see that she was capable of surprising someone who'd been taught witchcraft since childhood.

As the sun rose and warmed over closed lids, she stole a quick peek out over the grounds. And almost gasped in shock. A solitary, dark figure was traipsing through the patch of trees that lined the lake in the distance, his head lifted directly towards her as he moved. Unthinking, she quickly hid under the window, then cursed herself. _Way to look inconspicuous, Bon._

After a few minutes, she moved away, cautious and low on the floor. Her window was still open, and she had a terrifying vision of someone hovering in front of it, peeking in with demon eyes. She almost laughed to herself.

"Get a grip, girl," she whispered, banging the back of her head against the wall.


	3. Chapter 3

_CHAPTER THREE_

With the exception of Liv, Luke, and occasionally Jo, any time Kai spent with his siblings was generally about as pleasant as time he spent with his father.

Two of his brothers were bickering for ten minutes now about their performances during the covenant challenges last week, while Rachel was nagging Sue, Luke and Jo about a list of names and seating arrangements to follow, in accordance with their father's wishes. Kai watched them all as he worked his way through a plate of crepes and cannolis. If nothing else, he could at least enjoy the food.

They were seated at a round table in the dining hall, the only few people in the room. Soaring two-storey skylight ceilings filtered sunlight in and cast the iron chandelier above the main section of the room in a warm glow. He found himself enjoying the atmosphere, if not the company. The ambiance of the lodge was part upscale, part rustic, and all cozy. Liv had chosen a decent venue.

His thoughts turned towards his absent sister. She'd texted him of her arrival late last night, but as yet he hadn't encountered either her or her fiancé.

"Where's Liv?" he broke in, cutting through several conversations.

The table went quiet.

"Has anyone seen her?" Jo followed up, looking around at the faces.

"No," said Geoff. "Although I did see Tyler roaming around earlier. I think he went for a run. If we're lucky he went right out the gates." He broke into a guffaw.

Rachel tittered. "Maybe that's why we haven't seen Liv. Her groom got cold feet."

Glaring at Rachel, Luke's hand whipped up to smack Geoff on the back of his head. Even though he was younger, Luke was the stronger warlock. Geoff could only glare back.

The doors to the dining area opened carefully, and several groups of people stepped inside. When they saw the Parkers seated all together, a few began to approach them, while others appeared to balk and head towards the tables furthest away.

"Great," Jo said in an undertone "They're early."

"Maybe they're just hungry," said Sue, smiling welcomingly.

Kai nodded, eyebrows cocked. "Yea, and didn't bother to use the complimentary room service, or hit up the buffet options already set up in the casual dining areas." He smiled cynically. "Odds are, little Susie Gullible, they did a locator spell on us _en masse_." He squinted around the room. "If you notice, very few of our human guests are present."

"So paranoid," said Luke. "Just lighten up, say hello."

Kai wore his best innocent face, folding his hands before him and waiting with mock anticipation, as the first wave of coven witches came to greet them. The elders flocked to Jo and Luke, while the younger married couples divided their attentions between the other siblings, save Dex, who seemed to naturally fall in with the unattached, younger witches and warlocks with ease. Kai stood apart, not because of being ostracized, as he'd been in childhood, but because being standoffish was best practice when it came to coven business. The less approachable he appeared, the less chance anyone could ask him questions about his father's diminishing role.

"You know," came a seductive whisper in his ear, "it's not polite to make a lady wait in an empty supply closet for an hour."

Standoffish wasn't an obstacle to certain other guests, though.

He sent an absent-minded smile to the brunette whose breasts were currently pressed invitingly against his shoulder. Leggy, beautiful, and wearing a sex-kitten gleam in her eyes, he placed the woman's face as one he'd last seen in a different closet, in various angles, at another gathering several months back. Nadine, not a witch, thank goodness, just a friend of the family's, although he wasn't sure whose.

"I'm sorry," he said, leaning in. "Did we have a standing agreement to continue where we left off?"

The gleam in her eyes dimmed as she regarded him, puzzled. "I guess not..." then she lifted a curious brow. "Do you want to set one up?"

Kai was almost tempted, if only because she at least didn't act like an offended party. But now was not the time.

She shrugged, patted his shoulder only slightly awkwardly, and walked away.

The brief encounter must have encouraged others to try his mood. Next thing he knew, several elders had come up, remarking on the weather for the weekend, the bride and bridegroom's absences, and, oh, of course, any latest news on Joshua Parker.

It's as if they wanted him to look them in the eye, and casually admit, "Yea, he's dead. I finally killed him. Next order of business."

Kai stroked the stubble on his jaw. "Strangest thing," Kai said. "Turns out one of our relatives accidentally summoned an Erymanthian boar." He held his hands up helplessly. "My father needed to intervene. You know how he is with that."

Head tilted, he eyed them boldly, daring any of their skeptical faces to call him out for his patent, ridiculous lie. This was one of the times that he could enjoy himself, when the elders of the other witch communities stood impotent before his reckless disregard for their opinion. Only on some things, though. He knew where the lines were drawn, and forever blurred them with his erratic behavior. At the end of everything, they preferred him to the alternative. Which was allowing Joshua Parker to regain all of the leadership duties.

No one was dumb enough to want that.

"Of course," said the oldest of them, in a reedy, asthmatic voice. As one, they took their leave.

Kai drummed his fingers on the table, debating how he could make his escape, when he spied a lone figure sitting at a small table. Her elegant coiffure, dark clothes, and ramrod straight posture set her apart from everyone else, and he smiled as took his dessert plate in hand and walked over to her.

"Hasn't anyone ever mentioned that it's rude to turn your back on others at a gathering?" he said in place of hello. "And in the case of a gathering of witches, pretty reckless?"

Aquamarine eyes as fathomless as the ocean met his, and the old lady graciously nodded at him in greeting. She waved a hand to the seat in front of her. "Join me, please, Malachai."

"How are you, Maggie?"

"Slowly gathering dust, as they say." She took a sip of her tea. "I hope this wedding is as exciting as the last."

He grimaced. "Don't be mean."

She smiled. "Dear boy, never." Leaning forward, her eyes twinkling, she added, "I have every expectation of a successful union being borne from the events that shall pass this weekend."

"Is that so?" he said, his glance turning speculative. He had known Maggie since he'd gone to live with his grandfather, who had introduced the older woman as an elder that could easily level buildings while reciting Italian sonnets. As a teenager, Kai had taken in her calm, aged demeanor and written her off as nearing dementia.

Then he'd passed the worst year of his life, and Maggie was about the only person who gave any indication that Kai's existence on earth mattered.

"What do you know, hmm?" he asked, only half joking. "Using divination to tell my family's future? I should go look for Liv and bring her down here so you can read her palms."

Her smile became even more enigmatic. "Perhaps you should go find your sister."

Jo approached just then.

"Everyone's asking for Liv," she said.

"Really? How timely," remarked Kai, with a sharp glance at the old woman sitting across from him. She merely took a bite from her breakfast plate.

"I can't spare Luke, he's organizing something-"

"Say no more. I'll go." Kai was already out of his chair. He winked at Maggie. "Stay out of trouble, young lady."

Then he laid a table napkin over his dessert, scooped up the plate, and reached the exit in no time.

* * *

"Oh, my God, Bonnie, I can't find my necklace!" came the shriek, right before Bonnie was yanked through the door.

She stumbled into Liv's bridal suite and stopped short. "Uh, did you know your room was the scene of a natural disaster recently?" she quipped.

"Bonnieeee," came the wail.

"Sorry." Bonnie stepped gingerly on the carpet, through the overturned luggage with clothes spilling out, and a heap of backpacks with the contents overturned. The bed was littered with various articles of clothing and on the nightstand was a makeup kit that looked like it had been dismantled by toddlers. Empty room service plates were piled on the small table at the other end of the room.

"What's the necklace look like?" Bonnie asked, trying to be helpful.

"Silver filigree locket," came Liv's muffled voice from under the bed.

'Can't you just conjure up a new one?"

"I could," Liv said, more of her body disappearing under the bed. "But I really hate to."

After a few moments, she eased out and came to a stand, turning slowly with her eyes roaming on the floor. "My mom gave it to me. It's my 'something old.'"

Bonnie nodded. She cleared a small part of the bed for herself, sat down to cross her legs, closed her eyes, and whispered, " _Argentum monile revelare._ "

Seconds later, several strands of necklaces flew through the air from various corners of the room. They landed on the bed beside Bonnie. She rifled through them and then picked one to show Liv. "This it?"

The other witch was open-mouthed and blinking. "Wow. Thanks. Wish I'd thought of that, but I don't think I even know the words."

Bonnie shrugged. "People lose things a lot and I have an English to Latin app on my phone. Pretty handy." She smiled conspiratorially. "Sometimes I throw words around Damon and make him think I'm doing a spell...but really I'm just calling him an asshole in a dead language."

They giggled.

Liv took a minute to use her magic and organize the room into a semblance of normal. Bonnie saw the closet door slightly ajar and spied a white gown peeking out. "Ooooh!" She walked over to the closet. "I haven't seen your dress in person yet. Caroline kept bragging about it. Can I?"

Liv turned and held out a hand, "Wait, Bonnie-"

But she had already grabbed hold of one of the doors and pulled it open.

Only to yelp as a life-sized figure jumped out at her. She almost obliterated it with her powers until she realized, in shock, that it was a blow up doll.

"Oh." She bit her lip. "Okay."

Liv's face was an awful shade of red and mottled as her hands went to her mouth and her eyes bugged out in disbelief.

"This is awkward," Bonnie said, completely mortified, but for who she wasn't sure.

Liv burst out laughing.

"I...won't judge?" began Bonnie.

Tears streamed down Liv's face she fell on the bed, clutching her stomach. "Bonnie! Oh, my God. You should see your face!"

"I don't think I want to," she mumbled in reply, poking the doll away from her. "Do I even want to know what _this_ is about?" Then she scrunched up her eyes and shook her head. "You know what, scratch that. Please, just-do a mindwipe or something."

Liv sat back up, giggles still escaping her. She took deep breaths to control herself, then said, "It's Tyler's stand in, okay?"

Bonnie frowned at her words. Then her face cleared. "Ohhh..."

"We couldn't always ask my brother in law to sub for him, so I animated the doll and glamoured it to look like Tyler. It's how we got through the first meeting with my family, and the last couple weeks of rehearsals."

It was Bonnie's turn to look impressed as she studied the doll closer. "Pretty genius."

"Right? Tyler's not a fan, though. I think he thinks it'll turn into some kind of porno Chucky."

They started laughing.

A knock sounded against the door.

"Liv?" called a deep male voice.

Liv's face turned to panic. "It's my brother!" she whispered in a frantic voice.

 _Shit_. Somehow, Bonnie didn't need to ask which one. "We have the best luck," she muttered.

"It's Kai!" came the voice again. "You in there?"

While her friend was busy shoving the doll back into the closet, Bonnie ran to the door and gestured helplessly with her arms towards it, silently willing him to go away.

"We're all downstairs, going over some loose ends," he continued. "Will you be joining us? Because, gotta say, it's kind of torture, and I'd rather hang out here with you if you're not busy."

His deep voice carried a lilting tone and Bonnie could imagine him smiling as he spoke.

"Tell him I'm busy," Liv urged in a whisper. "We can't really cloak you, he'll sense that I'm using magic and ask too many questions."

Bonnie nodded, then stepped closer to the door but avoided the peephole. She didn't dare peek out, in case he could see her in turn.

"Uh, hi!" she called out.

"Hi." Then, a beat later. "You're not Liv. Wait, do I have the right room?"

"Yes, but, um, she's occupied right now. She'll be down in a couple minutes."

"I can wait, I don't mind."

Bonnie rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Really? We're...altering her dress. Couple minutes means at least half an hour."

There was quiet again on the other side of the door.

Bonnie looked at her friend. "I think he left," she said, not bothering to whisper.

"No, no, I'm still here," Kai's voice called out. "Could you maybe tell her, to use her special sewing skills to speed it up?"

Bonnie shook her head in aggravation. He wanted Liv to use her magic to fix the dress, but didn't want to say so not knowing if Bonnie knew anything about such things.

"Are we talking about the same Liv? She has no special sewing skills." Because she was getting irritated, she added, "Maybe your Liv _is_ in a different room."

She heard chuckling behind the door.

"Okay, okay, I can take a hint. I'll be going, then."

Bonnie sighed in relief.

"Can I get your name, at least?"

Oh, geeze. Was he serious right now? "Is he serious?" she demanded in a whisper to Liv, who rolled her eyes, made a retching motion, and turned her face to the door.

"Go away, Kai!" Liv shouted. "Quit bugging my friend. She's supposed to be helping me right now, and you're distracting her! I'll be downstairs later!"

"Fine!" Now he sounded irritated.

"Pushy," Bonnie said under her breath.

Seconds later, they heard a muffled noise at the base of the door. "I came bearing gifts, you know," he said reproachfully, his voice coming from further out, as if he'd started walking away. "Pastries from the breakfast buffet. Try the chocolate drizzled cannoli. It's pretty amazing." After another pause, he added, "Share some with your sassy friend."

Bonnie's eyes rolled up again as Liv kept an ear to the door. A few minutes later, when Liv brought in the plate of food, Bonnie eyed the treats carefully.

And picked the chocolate drizzled cannoli to bite into.

 _NOTES: Argentum monile revelare - Reveal silver necklace._


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for the feedback, you guys! Works wonders for my output. I feel like tomorrow night is going to hurt a lot, as far as the crap they'll try to shove down our throats re: this ship. No matter, it just makes me work harder to get this story done and share with you. **BonKai forever!** **:)**

 _CHAPTER FOUR_

As a treat to the members of her bridal party, Liv took them out to the stables for an hour of horseback riding along the trails of the estate, followed by a visit to the spa. Although she wasn't technically a bridesmaid, Liv had found a reason to include Bonnie. So far most of the women seemed to be easy going, aside from one of Liv's sisters, who had eyed Bonnie as if she was a curious insect to study. Bonnie made sure to stay away from her. She was ecstatic just for the time away from all the other guests, whose numbers had swelled after breakfast.

After the first few minutes of soothing her skittish horse, she found herself genuinely enjoying the ride. The vista surrounding the estate offered breathtaking views of the mountains and lakes, and at some point the group had scattered out enough that she wandered in solitude for a time. She let her horse graze under a large maple tree while she lay on her back on the cushy grass, staring out at the clouds. With her fingers, she traced animal figures in the air and smiled as they came to life, miniature cloud rabbits and dogs chasing each other just above her head.

When they all trekked back into the lodge and followed Liv into the spa facilities, where half a dozen Japanese soaking tubs awaited, Bonnie had to bite back a squeal. As the masseuse brought out the hot stones, Bonnie thought guiltily of Caroline for a whole minute, before losing herself in a massage that worked out all her tension knots.

"Seriously, Liv, _I_ could marry you right now," she sighed in contentment, as they walked out of the spa.

"Keep that feeling close," Liv warned. "Because the luncheon is coming. And you'll probably want to kill me after."

And just like that, Bonnie's calm evaporated.

The luncheon was held outdoors, on the tiled patio in the southern wing that overlooked the gardens. It was set up to be the initial meet and greet for all the wedding guests, but Bonnie knew better, especially when she saw the large banquet table in the middle of the outdoor space, with smaller round tables surrounding it in concentric circles. She spied lit candles unobtrusively placed in the four cardinal directions. The main table was dressed in white lace, and atop it were lavish offerings of food, wine, exotic flowers and-surprise, surprise-a white dove trapped in a cage.

"What, no sacrificial lamb to add to the slaughter?" she asked in an undertone to Liv, who snorted.

"I put my foot down on the lamb, otherwise, yea, he'd be right up there in place of the dove."

"Are they actually going to kill it in front of everyone?"

"No, there's a circle somewhere on the grounds. That's where we get the rituals out of the way."

Tyler and Matt made their appearance shortly after. The expressions on their faces told Bonnie that whatever Tyler had planned for the guys earlier, probably hadn't gone as well as Liv's.

"Your brother is a douche bag," Tyler said by way of hello.

"Which one?" Liv said.

"The one who looks like Draco Malfoy."

"Geoff," Liv said, smoothing the back of Tyler's neck. "You have my permission to kick his ass a little. "

"Yea, that'll go over well with your family."

"Maybe after the wedding, then." She looked around. "I'll talk to Luke. He can usually get Geoff in line."

Matt nudged Bonnie. "So, Bonnie _Hartwright_ , how's your day gone?"

Bonnie looked over at him. "Not too shabby."

He was wearing the eyeglasses. She stared deeply into his eyes for a moment, mouthing a silent "hello" to what she hoped was the camera.

Matt gave her an uncomfortable glance. "What are you doing?"

"Saying hi to Caroline."

"Oh, right. Sorry. I've just spent a lot of the morning with people getting up close and personal. Coming from you, it's creepy."

Bonnie almost laughed. "Gee, thanks." She heard her phone vibrate and smiled when she saw Caroline's 'hi' on her screen.

Tyler shook his head in disgust. "At least one of us is fitting in, though. How is it that I'm the groom and the best man's the one getting his ass kissed?"

"Isn't that why I'm here, Ty?" Matt said, his smile sarcastic. "Kind of my specialty, getting people to drop their guard." His eyes scanned the area. "So, how long's this gonna take? And what is up with that bird in a cage?"

"Be glad it's not a human in there," muttered Tyler.

Liv shot him a glare. "It's one of the ritual offerings," she explained to Matt, her voice sounding apologetic. "When one of us gets married, we sacrifice an animal in exchange for a blessing on the union."

His face had taken on a queasy expression. "They won't do it here," Bonnie reassured him.

"Good...had me worried I'd get fresh bird blood in my pasta."

Bonnie scrunched up her nose, opening her mouth to reply, but she was cut off by a sudden shadow falling over their table.

Four people stood behind her, all of them tall, impeccably dressed, and with similar sharp features angling out from faces that appeared like porcelain under the sun. The older man and woman stepped closer, polite smiles frozen in place.

"Forgive the interruption, Olivia," said the older man in a smooth, cultured voice, "but we've been eager to meet your groom."

The older woman merely continued to smile, as she lifted a hand and gestured to the two behind her. The young man appeared reluctant, but the young woman stepped forward gracefully, eyeing Tyler with boredom before including Bonnie and Matt in her gaze. Bonnie guessed the two were siblings, sharing striking blue eyes and blonde hair. She might have found the guy attractive, if he hadn't kept looking at his parents so much. It put her in mind of a leashed pet.

Liv placed her hand on Tyler's arm, as she gestured to the older couple. "Ty, meet Mr. and Mrs. Vansel. My father's friends."

The older woman lifted a haughty brow at Tyler, tilting her head. "And my children, Noah and Fiona. They've known the Parker brood since the cradle."

"Won't you introduce your friends, Liv?" Fiona said, her voice light and silky, and her eyes utterly dismissive. "They seem shy."

"Bonnie and Matt are Tyler's childhood friends," Liv supplied, her eyes wary.

"Aren't you a cute little thing?" Fiona said to Bonnie. "Noah, behave yourself with this one. Wouldn't want to give Liv the impression that you're over her. After all, she's not _quite_ married yet."

Jaw clenched, Noah threw an uncomfortable glance at Liv and Tyler. "Mind your manners, Fiona," he said. "Otherwise you might lose your invite and miss your chance to snag one of her brothers."

Clearing his throat, and looking for all the world like he'd rather be doing anything else, Tyler stood to shake hands with the older Vansels. As he did so, Bonnie felt the air around the table shift suddenly, as something strong, invisible, but invasive swept over her.

They were being magically scanned.

Just this morning, she, Liv, and Tyler had sat together in Bonnie's room, a circle drawn in chalk around them, reinforcing the magic that kept Tyler and Bonnie's auras hidden. The spell held up strong, especially when there were so many other human essences to draw from that acted as a muffle. But under this direct hit of a scan...Bonnie fought a sudden wave of panic as her eyes met Liv's.

"Well, well, well, isn't this cozy?"

As one, the entire table turned. Bonnie suppressed a groan as she found a few of Liv's siblings approaching. She felt a tendril of power snake out, precise and biting, and immediately the wave of probing magic from earlier abated. Her shoulders eased in relief.

A dark-haired man who was unfamiliar to her, broke away from the others to slide around the Vansels and stand by Liv and Tyler. "Correct me if I'm wrong," he said, with a smile towards the older couple, "but doesn't the chit chat usually come after the food is served?"

The older man visibly stiffened.

"I think they're about to get to your table, Rich." The younger man nodded somewhere in the distance. "I mean, really, come on, who doesn't want to tuck in to that soup lobster bisque. Don't want it getting cold, am I right?"

Suddenly animated, Fiona sidled up to the newcomer. "Why don't you escort us to our table, Kai?"

Bonnie blinked in surprise, her eyes flying up to the man's face. Of the Parkers, she'd only met Luke, Jo, and Rachel, so she'd maintained an imaginary picture in her head of the rest of the family, based on Liv's old family Christmas photo. In it, Kai had been a baby-faced teenager with a big cheesy grin wearing a red reindeer sweater. It definitely did not jive with the tall man standing in front of them, shark-eyed and stubble-jawed, with well defined muscles playing across his chest and shoulders. Bonnie took all this in with dismay. In her worst case scenarios, she had imagined going toe-to-toe against this all-powerful member of Liv's family because she'd envisioned him, clearly mistakenly, as that cheesy, innocent teenager.

Her gaze went to the other siblings who had arrived with Kai. Aside from the three she had previously met, she vaguely placed the ones she didn't recognize as older versions of Liv's siblings from the pictures. All of them looking more pissed than Kai, and yet somehow less threatening.

"You can't possibly miss it," Kai replied, his expression charming. He grabbed Fiona's arm, turned her in one direction, and pointed helpfully. "Take twenty steps, then a slight left, and there you go, the table with your name card. If you hurry, you might be able to get your appetizers in."

As he pushed her gently along, he murmured something in her ear that had her slightly wounded expression suddenly transform into a seductive sidelong glance at Kai.

Bonnie almost snorted.

The Vansel parents followed their daughter, but Noah lingered just long enough to give a quick, mumbled apology to the table, before he too disappeared.

"Well," said Jo. "That was bracing."

"Ugh," replied Luke. "Remind me again why they're always included in these functions?"

"Come on," said Kai, throwing his arm around his brother. "You know if it were up to good old dad, they would all have been our in-laws by now."

The other brother, similar in height to Luke, but with Kai's coloring, gave a sudden bark of laughter. "The only ones I could see marrying into that viper pit are Geoff and Rachel, and even they chose other people." He stared at something in the distance. "Although, Fiona's really hot."

Kai looked back at him with raised eyebrows. "See, Dex. Maybe it's not too late."

"You can't be serious!" Liv said, lip curled in disgust. "They're-"

"Ah, ah, ah," he cut her off, wagging a finger. "No airing of dirty laundry in front of our nice guests. Also, we don't want to scare off your fiancée here." Kai looked over the rest of the table, grinning in what Bonnie considered a slightly off-putting manner. "No need to jeopardize this chance to get rid of one more sister and make her some other man's problem."

While Liv glowered up at her brother, Tyler threw Bonnie and Matt a tense glance. Bonnie wished the luncheon had been held indoors so she could trip a false alarm and give them all a chance to escape. As she chewed on her lip, contemplating ways to leave, she became aware that Kai's gaze was flickering over her face.

"I don't think we've met," he said, smiling charmingly. "Hi, I'm Kai."

Bonnie caught his sharp assessing eyes, felt a familiar dread in her stomach.

A sudden, vague idea formed, and before it had fully hatched, she snatched at it.

Glancing at Matt, hoping his improv was decent, she grabbed his arm and cuddled it close to her side. With a bright, vacant smile pasted on her face, she beamed at Liv's family and launched into valley speak.

"Hiii, everyone!" she gushed. "Oh, my gosh, we are like so, so, _so_ glad to be here and finally meeting _allll_ of you guys! I can't believe how many of you there are! Like whoa, hello, family planning much?" she giggled nervously.

Everyone blinked. Kai glanced between her and Matt's linked arms quickly, before settling on her face again for a few moments, his look speculative. He was nodding a little to himself, and appeared to be on the verge of wanting to say something else.

Desperate, Bonnie widened her smile and willed her expression into ditziness, as she flipped her hair, adding in a breathless voice, "I'm Bonnieee, and this is my boyfriend, Matt!"

She felt Matt stiffen beside her, but she squeezed his arm in a silent plea.

"We almost never leave town," she continued. "And I wasn't sure about coming out to Oregon, you know? Cuz I don't think I heard of it before I met Liv?" She turned a scrunched up nose to Liv, who had her mouth pressed together hard, looking slightly constipated. "But, anyway, thanks _soooo_ much for having us! It's just like really pretty here. I feel like we're in _Lord of the Rings_..."

And so she went on, for the next two minutes, hands gesturing dramatically. She avoided looking at Matt and Tyler, could feel their eyes bulging out in disbelief as she refused to shut up.

While the rest of the Parker siblings gave polite nods, intermittently throwing Liv strange glances-probably wondering what the hell their friendship could be based on-Bonnie noted with intense satisfaction that every time she opened her mouth, Kai seemed to wince.

It was Jo who cut in finally, excusing all of the siblings, and directing Liv and Tyler to the family table. When they left, Bonnie could almost hear their collective sigh of relief.

She waited until the Parkers were several yards away, before she blew out a breath, and sagged back in her chair.

"Wow," Matt said, choking back laughter. "I see what you were trying do, but next time warn a guy. I never knew you could be so...perky."

"Thank Elena and Caroline and their obsession with _Legally Blonde_. I've seen it enough times to perfect flakey." She batted her eyelashes.

He shrugged. "I don't know, I think you could've just been yourself, quiet, and they would've left you alone."

Normally, this was true. Growing up, this had been her experience. Extroverted, popular Elena and Caroline were constantly at odds even during grade school. Bonnie had had to play sidekick so many times to one, the other, or both, that somehow fading into the background as the supportive friend had become second nature. So being a wallflower? Just another one of those skills she'd perfected in her repertoire.

And yet, something about Kai Parker told her he wasn't one to miss any part of the scenery, Trying to hide in the background might only inspire him to look harder. If there was one thing she came here to do, it was to fly under everyone's radar to ensure this wedding happened. Kai gave her the distinct impression of someone dangerous who could unravel all of their plans if he got too close. She and her friends needed to avoid him at all costs.

* * *

Following the Gemini protocol for large gatherings meant a lot of things, among them, having to tolerate long-winded conversations with members of the witch community, while some of his siblings tried to outmaneuver each other into alliances with the other covens.

It exhausted him and tried his patience, although Kai was usually adept at letting none of that show. With effort, he made it through the luncheon, and following that, gathered his family in the same clearing where he had earlier cast his ward. He needed to enact yet another of the traditions his father required of Parker children when they wed.

His siblings were all present, plus Tyler, all of them standing just within the edges of a circle of rocks. None of them appeared thrilled to be there. Kai's irritation spiked when he saw that a few of his brothers and sisters could barely even lift their eyes to watch the ritual.

The small white dove in his hand tried to flutter its wings to escape, but Kai held it still as he brought the dagger to its breast. Quickly stabbing it, he poured its blood into a goblet.

" _Offerendo pro pace sanguine_ ," he chanted.

Liv and Tyler joined hands.

Kai repeated the chant. " _Offerendo pro pace sanguine."_

Amidst the fresh blood spilled from the dove, the candle lying within the goblet center suddenly flared to life. A sudden breeze carried in the air, disappearing moments later, as Liv and Tyler both gasped, their hands tightening. Just as quickly, the breeze died, and with it, the flames from the candles.

Kai wiped his hands clean, and stepped out of the circle.

"What the hell was that?" muttered Tyler, clutching at his chest and breathing deeply.

"That," Kai said cheerfully, "was hopefully your ticket to avoiding marriage counseling and an expensive divorce."

"Can we go now?" asked Sue.

Kai squinted his eyes in thought, then said, "No." He motioned to the rocks and the other items used for the spell. "Make yourself useful for once and clean up the mess."

Her nose wrinkled in distaste.

Kai lifted his brows. As much as he enjoyed using magic, after so many years being called an abomination for not having his own, he really felt since his return and stepping fully into his role as the prodigal son, that he'd turned into the designated warlock mule. His family was forever leaving him to do all the work.

"I set everything up by myself when it comes to these spells, and since none of you seem to have the stomach to get stabby with cute little animals, I do that, too." He eyed all of his siblings. "I think it's time to make these things more of a family effort. So you guys can be my cleanup crew."

Geoff and Rachel looked mutinous. "We're not your servants, Kai," Rachel said.

"We don't even believe any of this is necessary," Geoff added.

"Oh, look, Tweedledee and Tweeddledum joining in. Explain to me how exactly you think that following our father's seating arrangements to a tee takes priority over this ritual? Hmm?"

"The seating arrangements reflect our alliances," Rachel said, in that superior way she had. "You would know it's important to maintain that, if you had any idea how to properly run anything."

He walked around the two. "Of course. Lean on others for strength. That's your tactic. Leave everyone else to hone their craft because you're so busy sticking your noses into the other covens' backsides." He clucked his tongue in mock disappointment. "This is why you two are the weakest in our family. No drive."

"At least we were never diagnosed sociopaths," Geoff spat out. "Not all of us have forgotten how disturbed you really are. If it wasn't our bleeding heart mother taking you away to get help, you wouldn't be here thinking that you call all the shots, _Malachai_. "

Kai raised a finger, biting the inside of his cheek. "First, don't call me that." He swiped his finger upward and Geoff's head suddenly jerked back from an invisible sucker punch. "You aren't one of the people allowed to use that name, FYI. Second," he walked up with his hands held open and up, as if to signal non-aggression, "if you have a problem with my position in the coven, it's like I told you all when I came back-go ahead and challenge me." He shrugged. "I don't want to be accused of not encouraging growth. I'm all about progress."

Geoff glowered at him with spite, but eventually, said and did nothing.

Kai's eyes turned cold, as he leaned in to his brother's ear. "You know something, little brother," he said softly. "If mom hadn't taken me away, if I had become the abomination that our elders and dear old dad expected...I think I would've killed you last. Let you sweat it out a little."

His brother's eyes turned fearful. Kai stepped away smiling.

"Enough, Kai," Jo said angrily. She had gathered most of the rocks herself and dumped them into his bag. "What's wrong with you?"

He held up his hands. "Just saying what everyone else is thinking. Honesty is the best policy, after all."

Rachel and Geoff both stalked off in anger.

His remaining siblings stayed quiet as they continued to clean, while Tyler stood to the edge, trying not to look uncomfortable. Kai threw him a sidelong glance, and because he was in a foul mood, decided that now was the perfect time to put Liv's future husband on the spot.

"Speaking of honesty," Kai said. "I couldn't help but notice I had to cut short a magical scan at the luncheon." He faced Tyler, who blinked at him. "Why do you think the Vansels went to all that trouble? You're only human, after all."

"You have to ask?" Liv answered for her fiancée. "They're nosy shits holding a grudge because I broke up with Noah. And they're looking for any excuse to throw shade at Tyler."

Kai stopped, mulling over her reply.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," he agreed, as Luke and Dex chimed in, nodding and murmuring their assent.

"They need to know we don't tolerate that crap," Luke said. "They're here to eat, drink, and be merry, not invade our other guests' privacy."

"Let's hex them," offered Dex.

"Let's not," replied Jo quickly. "If there's anything we need now, it's the support of our geographically closest coven allies. You know dad's losing a lot of his friends lately. The Vansels are one of the few left that he still trusts."

"How is that a good thing?" Liv said. "As far as I'm concerned, they're leeches."

Sue rolled her eyes. "Yet you dated Noah."

"I happen to think he's adopted," shot Liv back.

"Fiona's not bad," Sue said stubbornly. "She's always been there for us."

Liv laughed in disbelief. "For our brothers, you idiot. She's been trying to get one of them to put a ring on it for years now. You really think she cares at all about all your hippy dippy stuff? She's using you."

Sue's hand whipped up and a little zing of magic shot out to Liv's face. She deflected with a wave of her palm and the magic rebounded back to Sue, hitting her chin. Immediately a large pimple shot out. Her eyes widened in outrage. "I hate this family!" she shrieked, storming away.

Liv's jaw dropped. "Oh, my God. She just tried to curse me with a zit. The day before my wedding. Bitch."

Kai couldn't help it. He started laughing. It helped him feel a little less deranged, because today his family was doing their utmost best to drive him mad.

Jo sighed, her head shaking in disgust, and directed the others to help collect the remaining things. Kai continued chortling, as he used his powers to dig a hole in the dirt and bury the dead bird.

Eventually, they all headed back. He found himself falling into step beside Liv and Tyler.

"Sure there's no other reason for the Vansels to have taken such an interest, Lockwood?" he asked in the spirit of persistency. "No other skeletons in the closet or, you know, dead ex-girlfriends buried in your backyard?" He bared his teeth in a smile. "You can share. Notwithstanding the scene you just witnessed, I promise we don't bite."

Tyler shrugged. "I failed statistics twice in college."

As the others broke into nervous laughter, Kai allowed his smile to stay in place, but his father's words floated briefly to mind. On the surface, Tyler seemed to be a typical meathead rich kid who could offer Liv the normal life she'd always wanted. His lackluster human friends that Kai had met earlier supported this notion.

Nothing in Kai's gut told him that Tyler was truly a threat, but some of his father's paranoia had rubbed off on him years ago, so he decided to play it safe. From now on, he would keep a closer eye on his soon to be brother-in-law, and by extension, his friends.

"So," he turned to his sister. "When you were upstairs fixing your dress earlier, who was it that helped you? Because she sounded cute."

Liv looked at him with horrified eyes.

"What?" he said innocently.

 _NOTES: Offerendo pro pace sanguine - An offer in blood in return for peace._


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, small **spoiler warning** for anyone who didn't watch tonight's episode yet...but I have a burning mental image of Kai spooning Bonnie. I think that line might have been improvised because, what? These dumbass writers admitting a man on the show wants to spoon with Bonnie? Even though she really, really is eminently spoonable, and it's official now that Kai thinks so (who himself is also spoonable, among many other things) ;) Thanks again for the awesome, lovely reviews. This might be my last update for the week, but I'll try to get another in by Monday. Enjoy! **  
**

 _CHAPTER FIVE _

Later that afternoon, Matt and Tyler headed off to parts unknown with what looked to Bonnie like a group of overgrown frat boys. She hoped for Tyler's sake that was all they were, because he deserved to relax and goof around, like normal grooms did before a wedding.

Agreeing to keep a low profile, she and Liv had been on their way out to the grounds again when Liv was accosted by Fiona and a gaggle of other women. Pointedly leaving Bonnie out of the conversation, the women spirited Liv away, and Bonnie could only guess from her friend's expression that it had to do with more coven traditions in which Bonnie couldn't participate, as a supposed human. Admittedly, there was also a chance Fiona and her minions were just trying to alienate Bonnie, and if that was the case, she was only too happy to have some time to herself.

With the other guests milling around the lodge, Bonnie chose to follow the original plan and explore the grounds on her own.

The irony wasn't lost on her, that for as much sleep as she had lost plotting this wedding caper, she had spent an almost obscene amount of time enjoying herself since arriving. Hiking along the trails that weaved through a forest of redwoods, offering tantalizing glimpses of the lake and the mountains, she really almost felt like she had taken that vacation, after all.

After an hour of wandering, she came upon a small crowd gathered in a glade. It was the first time she saw children and teenagers numbering most of the group. Some of them were in costume, along with a few adults. They were putting on what looked like an impromptu play, on the wooden stage that backed into a large grouping of redwoods.

Rows of wooden benches were arranged in a semi circle around the stage. The small audience of what she assumed were parents and grandparents looked fairly harmless and preoccupied by the players. Rachel and Luke Parker were the only faces Bonnie recognized, and they were seated in the very front row, far away from where she herself sat in the back.

On the stage, children dressed in bloodied robes were huddled in one corner, cowering from creatures that appeared part-man, part-ogre, stomping menacingly on the wooden floors. Two young boys broke apart from the crouched group. They joined hands and bravely faced the monsters.

"We are the Dioskouri," they cried in unison, both of them holding on to a small medallion raised between them.

Cameras flashed in the audience, as some of the adults excitedly crept closer to the stage for better angles.

"We must save our village, brother."

"Let us stand against Atreus and his cannibal army."

Bonnie's eyes widened. What the hell kind of warped production had she walked into? She cast her eyes around, wondering if others shared her reaction, but all she saw were rapt faces, focused completely on the two children. Behind their small forms lurked the largest ogre, with horns and fangs and ferocious eyes. Its unkempt mane spurted out from its neck.

"To defeat the monsters, we must merge," the two said together.

She narrowed her eyes, belatedly taking in that the pair on the stage were entirely too similar in appearance. Not identical, but probably still twins. "Unbelievable," she said, aghast.

The pair joined their hands, and a sudden burst of light shot out, illuminating the forest, bathing it in a purple glow. It grew brighter and larger around the pair, then scattered into a million tiny firecrackers. A few people in the audience gasped, delighted, clearly non-witches who attributed the display to special effects. Bonnie eyed the twins and saw their triumphant faces. Future prodigies of witchcraft, both of them. If only they both could live to see it.

She continued to sit, feeling disconnected from the people around her. How was this okay to any of the witches in attendance?

Now she knew the approach the Geminis used to brainwash future generations into accepting their toxic customs. They were spoon feeding human sacrifice as a bullshit story about heroism, to young, impressionable minds. She felt a little bile at the base of her throat.

When the play came to an end, she stood and quickly backtracked, right into someone's chest.

Hands reached out to steady her as she turned. "Are you all right?" Mocking gray eyes stared down into hers.

Bonnie wrenched herself free. "I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth.

Kai Parker stood before her, looking vaguely curious. "Something tells me you're not a fan of the show."

She almost gave him a scathing reply, but remembered that the Bonnie he met wasn't anyone who thought too hard about the meaning behind theatrical productions. If anything, a true airhead taking one look at the man in front of her would be thrilled to be in such close proximity to him. Because the unfortunate truth was, that Liv's older brother personified sex appeal. And he came across as the type of man willing to exploit it.

Luckily, Bonnie had spent years calling Stefan friend and Damon sometime ally. Tall, dark, sexy, and dangerous was nothing if not commonplace in her day to day life.

"I don't know about you," she said, wrinkling her nose like a brat, "but, like, anything that has to do with eating humans? Isn't really my thing."

He continued eyeing her. "Bonnie, right?" he asked." He moved to stand beside her, then nodded out at the stage. "You know, I once played one of the wonder twins when I was young."

She raised her eyebrows politely. "Cool, I guess."

"They don't really show you what happens after the merge," he said under his breath to himself, as he brought a hand up to rest around his jaw.

He wore rings on both hands, a few of them with engravings in Sanskrit and Sumerian. Power rings. Bonnie almost stepped away, not because she was feeling vulnerable, but because his closeness set her teeth on edge and her own magic seemed to be responding by rippling just under her skin, wanting to lash out in defense.

She wanted nothing more than to be rid of his presence, but as she cast surreptitious peeks at him, something in Kai's face made her pause. Thinking to catch a glimpse into his perspective, to see if he was anything like his father, she asked, "Why cannibals?"

"People eating people," he said. "Kind of a horrible idea, isn't it? Such monsters shouldn't exist."

Bonnie didn't really need him to explain, she had understood the gist of the message as soon as she sat down to watch. The ogre on the stage represented the vampires and the werewolves who preyed on humans, eating and rending flesh-the aberrant creatures the Gemini coven stood against.

"They're unnatural according to the laws of nature, and it's someone's job to eradicate them," he said matter-of-factly, then threw her a quick glance. "Stop me if I'm using too many large words."

She wasn't offended by his comment; if anything, it relaxed her a tiny bit, knowing he considered her an idiot.

"But monsters aren't real," he continued lightly, "and cannibalism is a dying practice. So you don't have to worry your pretty little head about any of this. Your worst nightmares, if I had to guess, probably consist of people wearing last season's colors." He raked half-lidded eyes over her form, as he moved even closer. "And maybe, men who don't know what to do in the bedroom?"

"No, actually," she said, nervously tittering while she stepped away. "Bad highlights."

He bit his lip, studying her. "What I'm trying to figure out is you how even found your way here," he said. "Shouldn't you be, I don't know, planning your makeup for tomorrow or something?"

She shrugged, then giggled. "Probably."

His attention turned to someone up ahead-his sister Rachel, standing by the benches, hugging the children with a beaming smile on her face. The woman appeared for all the world like a proud soccer mom. Bonnie couldn't grasp what could motivate a mother to encourage her children towards a barbaric practice that would only result in one of their deaths. Such a woman could only be insane. She couldn't help shaking her head a little, trying to understand.

"You seem to really feel strongly about this," Kai remarked, as he continued to look at the group in front of them.

"Is she, like, in charge of it, your sister?" she asked.

She caught the tic in his jaw, as he answered, "You could say it's a pet project of hers."

"Well, maybe someone can tell her we're at a wedding? And-ohmigosh," she said suddenly, widening her eyes as if suddenly inspired by a brilliant thought, "here's an idea-kids could say fake marriage vows instead of killing cannibals or whatever."

At his sudden sharp glance, Bonnie wanted to kick herself. She really needed to go. This was entirely way too much time discussing a heavy subject matter in her dumb chick persona, with the person she was supposed to be avoiding. After all, it wasn't as if anything she said would hold water with him. Not to mention, her high-pitched valley girl talk was starting to wear on her voicebox.

"Funny thing," he said, "and you may not believe me, but what you just saw? Wasn't my first choice. My suggestion for Aladdin got vetoed."

He was right. She didn't believe it at all, especially when he was smiling with that same hint of mockery in his face.

He chuckled, then leaned his head sideways close to her ear. "Anyone ever told you that you emote too much?" he said softly. She tensed, but didn't turn her head to meet his gaze. "When your face is as expressive as yours, it's really hard to hide anything."

Bonnie stayed silent.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd almost think not only that you were in possession of a brain," he taunted. "But that you also read the manual on how to use it."

It was such an obvious tactic that she had to bite back a snort. This guy had no idea what a seasoned pro she was in the art of deflecting baiting insults, thanks to Damon Salvatore.

"Dude, you are really weird," she said, twirling her hair. "I have _no_ idea what you're talking about."

"Don't you?"

Now Bonnie started to sweat. Her eyes swinging around, she saw with relief that Luke was fast approaching, Rachel behind him.

When Luke came to stand beside Bonnie, he gave her a relaxed smile, but his eyes were obviously worried. She had met Luke twice over the last couple of weeks spent fine tuning the plan with Liv. In contrast to his twin's rocker chick edge, Luke's carefree surfer boy manner hid a calculating mind. Bonnie had been relieved having him on their side, valuing his loyalty. He was devoted to his twin, championing Liv's choice of groom despite Tyler being from the proverbial wrong side of the tracks.

"Surprised to see you two together," Luke said pleasantly.

"You and me both," replied Kai, still squint-eyeing Bonnie.

She gave one of her fake, sunny smiles to the Parker siblings. "I was just talking to your brother about maybe finding a new program for those cute kids," she said brightly.

Rachel frowned. "A new program? Why would we need that?"

Bonnie's eyes froze on the other woman's face, as she tried, with extreme difficulty, not to pin her with a death glare.

"Well," Kai said, smirking at his sister, "Bonnie here seems to think the content is a little inappropriate for the age group."

* * *

He watched with interest as Rachel gave Tyler's little friend one of her quelling looks.

"I don't see that _your_ opinion," Rachel said, derision clear in her voice, "has any bearing. You have no idea about my family's history or culture." She waved behind her. "The play speaks to that."

"Why, did your great-grandparents meet cannibals?" Bonnie asked, eyes vacant.

Kai couldn't be sure, but that almost sounded sarcastic.

While Tyler himself didn't raise any internal alarms, Tyler's friend was setting off all kinds of gut reactions with her vapid yet unexpectedly insightful commentary. In Kai's experience, women like her typically offered no commentary, period. Earlier at the luncheon, the obvious parts of her had initially drawn his attention because what man wouldn't take a close look at her toned, curvy figure, and a face that could've been sculpted from marble, with her long-lashed hazel eyes and full mouth.

On first glance, he'd had every intention of talking her into a tryst inside one of the supply closets. But he'd soon noted the quiet way she'd held herself in the face of his family's antics and decided, instead, that maybe she deserved to be talked into having dinner with him first, before a tryst in his suite.

But then she'd opened her mouth. And it had been pretty excruciating to stay in her presence for longer than a minute.

That was before. The last thing he expected was to run into the woman at the outdoor theatre, of all places, observing his sister's twisted happily-ever-after propaganda play. He realized he had just spent a good chunk of time with Bonnie, and none of it had been painful.

He was tempted to separate her from the others, and continue their tete-a-tete, but Rachel had pointedly ignored Bonnie's question, and was now turning to him, smiling expectantly.

His sister seemed to have forgotten all about the insults he had thrown in her and Geoff's face earlier. Unsurprising, since she was probably too busy patting herself on the back about her brilliant stage production.

"Nice of you to make it," she said. "The kids always like when one of the..." she paused, remembering Bonnie, "...family seniors...show up."

"You could just say 'uncle,' Rachel," Kai muttered. "I'm their uncle, not just a 'family senior.' What am I, geriatric?" he added, throwing Bonnie a furtive glance.

"But it's not like you're close to them," his sister argued. " _Senior_ fits better than uncle."

He exhaled through his nostrils, annoyed, and looked across at his nephews, both of them sporting the same ear to ear grins as their mother.

They were the oldest kids in the next generation of Parkers. Rachel had married at a young age, in the years before Kai had returned to the coven. After the birth of the twins, she and her husband had moved away. Going by his other siblings' accounts, there had been a period where Rachel had been content just being a housewife, married to one of the coven witches who seemed to prefer his normal occupation as an engineer over any positions that the coven had pushed on him. It had ended all too quickly, though, when her husband died of a stroke.

One year of mourning later, Rachel had turned up at a gathering with her twins in tow, hell-bent on getting back into the coven mix.

Kai could understand to a point the motivation behind it, could see that grief had turned her slightly mad, fixated on her children and developing their roles in the coven. It was the center of her universe now.

Occasionally, when the mood struck, he looked at his sister and saw himself, at seventeen, lashing out because his mother had taken away the only world he knew. Those first few months with his grandfather, Kai had almost given the old man another heart attack. On purpose.

"Did you see their spell?" she asked proudly. "They worked on that for days."

For once, Kai couldn't find it in him to deflate the bubble of smug self-importance that surrounded Rachel. He glanced away from her, just in time to catch Luke and Bonnie whispering together.

Kai raised a brow at his brother.

"I'm gonna go," Luke said. "Looks like this one here got turned around on the trail." Luke rolled his eyes and gave a small, 'what can you do, she's that dumb' shrug. "I'll walk her back."

"I can do it," Kai offered, aware of a vague unsettled feeling taking over him as the empty-headed woman beside his brother kept looking around her, looking like a lost little puppy.

"No, stay," urged Luke. "Say hi to the twins."

As he guided Bonnie away, she threw a quick glance over her shoulder, simpered, and gave a small wave with just her fingers.

Kai watched their retreat with narrowed eyes.

"Something wrong?"

He looked back at his sister. Rachel's name was absent on the very short list of people that Kai took in his confidence, so he masked his growing suspicion, and threw her a smile.

"Oh, you know, just appreciating the view," he said.

Rachel's face turned disapproving. "Kai, really, if you have to dally with anyone, please pick a woman that has more than a single digit IQ."

He followed her as they made their way through the crowd. The twins greeted him excitedly, still keyed up about their performance.

"You know the boys didn't even need prompting for their lines," said Rachel, smiling fondly at them.

"We killed it, right?" said one.

"Was that light show awesome or what?" said the other.

Kai nodded uncomfortably, trying with effort to return their grins. He had a sudden image of them, older, both of them lying unconscious within a circle as the coven surrounded them. Only one of them getting back up.

He blinked and saw that his nephews were waiting, each of them raising a clenched hand. Kai gave his nephews fist bumps, feeling like scum all the while.


	6. Chapter 6

**Note:** Here you go, an update early in the day instead of late at night. A gazillion thanks for the feedback, guys. You seriously rock and keep me going, despite me having this sinking feeling that this Thursday might be the last we see of Kai Parker on our screens, setting our TVs on fire in his scenes with Bonnie. * sob *

 _CHAPTER SIX_

The familiar tones of a Skype call came through from her laptop, pulling Bonnie's attention away from the call.

"I gotta go, Lucy," she said into the phone. "Thanks, I owe you one."

"Okay. Call me if you need anything else." Her cousin's concern filtered through from the other end of the line.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to stress you out. I've got this, okay?"

"Bon, ever since we met, worrying about you has become like one of my top five past times. You need to seriously contemplate a life change and get out of Mystic Falls."

Easier said than done.

As Bonnie ended the phone call and opened her Skype chat, she settled back against her bed, waiting as Caroline's face filled her screen.

"I'm going to need you to start wearing those eyeglasses," her friend said without preamble. "Because all I'm getting from Matt are close ups of food, drinks, or cleavages and derrieres of the female variety."

Bonnie gave a tight smile.

"Oh, boy. That...is not your happy look. What happened?"

She filled Caroline in on the Parker clan, the outings, and their run in with some of the other witches, some of them harmless, others less so. When Bonnie mentioned the play she had witnessed, as well as her conversation with Kai, Caroline went into total alarm mode.

"Do you think we need reinforcements?" Caroline said. "Stefan and Alaric are back in town. They can be here in a hot minute if they know something's going down tomorrow."

Bonnie shook her head earnestly. "The last thing we need is for them to get involved. Especially Stefan, his presence would trigger all their witchy senses."

"Alaric won't."

"He won't, but he'd be one more person I have to protect." She already felt stretched thin.

"Okay, but who's going to protect you, Bonnie?"

She pretended to be offended. "You didn't really just say that. At the risk of tooting my own horn, I regularly stock up on cans of whoop ass and I brought some along on this trip. Just so you know."

Caroline sighed. "Sometimes, Bon, you're really stubborn."

Bonnie ignored her. "Not to mention, Liv's not exactly a wimp when it comes to magic. And Ty is a freaking big, bad, werewolf," she added the last part in a whisper to the screen. "We're not helpless."

"No, just insane. I want to go on record as being the sole voice of reason." Caroline's brow furrowed. "God, I hope you guys can pull this off. Those witches are super wacky."

Curious, Bonnie leaned forward. "I thought all you got from the spy cam were boobs and butt."

Caroline shrugged. "Matt might have been a little more useful than that," she confessed. "I managed to piece together that Liv's family is probably more dysfunctional than the Salvatores. And some of her brothers might even be better looking," she added reluctantly, and Bonnie thought, unnecessarily.

"I think you mean more mentally unstable."

"Both. Stay away from Kai, Bonnie! I know he's really easy on the eyes, and it's been a while for you-"

"Focus, Care," Bonnie cut in, her lips pursed in exasperation. "Anything else to share?"

"Well, Matt and Tyler shot some hoops with a couple of the guys." Caroline's hair bounced as her head shook. "Let's just say those warlocks made it a point to have Tyler's group lose bad. His guys kept tripping over themselves for no reason and all Ty's shots went wide. And I mean, this is the guy who made all-star on the college team."

"Yea, he mentioned not really hitting if off with anyone here."

Caroline was pacing in front of the screen. "If they find out about him, he doesn't stand a chance."

Bonnie sat back, watching as her friend worked herself up into a storm of worry.

"And now Liv's brother is onto you," continued the vampire.

"I didn't say that," Bonnie said.

Caroline stopped. "You don't have to! Honestly, I saw him through Matt's glasses during lunch. The guy was totally checking you out. Even with you acting like a dumb valley girl, he was interested. And now you're having a rendezvous in the forest? I mean, come on, who knows _what_ is going through his head. But it can't be good."

"Rendezvous?" Bonnie's head moved side to head in protest. "We didn't have a rendezvous."

"No more run-ins with Kai, Bonnie," Caroline said seriously. "All it takes is one touch and there goes your magic. And all of this-everything we've worked for-goes kablooey." Caroline's hands mimed a volcanic eruption. "Liv and Tyler are _so_ close to tying the knot. We can't get careless."

Bonnie nodded, trying to regroup. The encounter with him had really thrown her. She couldn't get a good read on the guy. He was smart and powerful and affiliated with the entirely wrong coven. Yet, having encountered him personally, it no longer seemed so simple to categorize him as her enemy because he didn't come across as a carbon copy of his father. Kai seemed to operate by his coven's practices for the most part, but coming from Liv herself, he was also capable of bending the rules.

He was too many shades of gray that made her head hurt. But Caroline was right-Kai was still a threat to their plans.

Resolved, she stood, grabbed the salt that she had hidden under the bed, and walked to the middle of the room.

"What are you doing?" came her friend's voice.

"You'll see."

Bonnie shook out a circle of salt around her on the floor. Then she raised both hands, holding on to the jade teardrop pendant she wore around her neck. Closing her eyes, she chanted briefly, concentrating on the words. The circle of salt simmered in smoke around her. Magic flared up within the circle, and then converged all at once into the pendant. The salt circle dissipated into nothing.

"Bonnie, what was that?" Caroline asked, cautiously.

She leaned into the screen and smiled reassuringly at her friend. "A way to make sure Kai can't get his hands on my magic. Relax, Care. We got it covered. I promise that you won't need to come riding in on your shining horse and fang out on anyone."

Bonnie could see her words did nothing to ease the look of worry on Caroline's face.

"So, did I mention that Liv took us to a spa treatment?" Bonnie said casually.

The blonde's expression quickly turned into one of envy.

"Yea, Japanese soaking tubs and hot stone massages..."

"Ugh. I hate you! God, I haven't had one of those in _ages_...seriously, you guys are the worst..."

Bonnie smiled apologetically, and proceeded to listen for the next five minutes to her friend's griping.

Afterwards, she headed to the closet and pulled out an outfit for the evening's activities. Liv had planned her own bachelorette party, adamant that she not spend her last night as a free woman objectifying male strippers dressed as firefighters and construction workers. "I can do that with Tyler any day of the week after I'm married," she'd said.

Bonnie had no idea what she had planned, and neither had any of the other women. During lunch, she'd overheard Fiona and some of Liv's sisters discussing the clothing advice Liv had given them for the bachelorette party.

"Whatever your prettiest outfit is," Liv had told the group of women. "Don't wear it, unless you want it ruined."

So Bonnie took out the jeans, tank, and red henley that she'd worn on the plane ride over, and made her way downstairs to head outside. Liv had said to meet on the southern end of the grounds, where the sprawling hedge maze stood.

On the way there, Bonnie spied a quiet room and ducked inside to text both Matt and Caroline a status on her location. They'd been constantly updating each other all day, as part of their plan to avoid being caught unaware.

The room was quiet when she entered, the setting sun giving the wood trimmed windows and paneled walls a forlorn air. Enormous works of art hung from one of the high walls, a series of gold-and-green interconnected paintings of nymphs, centaurs, and satyrs, frolicking in what looked like paradise.

She couldn't stop gazing at it.

"Soothing, is it not?" came a sudden voice behind her.

She turned and found an older woman contemplating the paintings, her eyes a brilliant pale aqua as they moved between the images. Her pale, lined face appeared tranquil, and she held her body entirely still, as if suspended in time.

Bonnie felt a soft stirring of magic in the air, almost like a melody.

"I apologize for the intrusion, my dear," she said in a beautiful, refined, captivating voice. "My name is Maggie Durant."

Bonnie's smile was hesitant as she looked around the room. "Sorry, I thought the room was empty when I came inside."

"Oh, yes. It was. I followed you."

Bonnie looked at her questioningly.

"I confess, I have been quite curious to renew our acquaintance, child."

Her comment raised Bonnie's hackles.

"I knew your grandmother, you see."

Fighting alarm, Bonnie's hands gripped tightly on to the chair she stood behind.

"Please relax, dear," the older woman said, as she perched on a side bench. "Your secret is safe with me. Not everyone here is an enemy."

Despite the woman's words, Bonnie couldn't resist staking out the room for an escape plan. This seemed to be an ongoing theme since the weekend started, and it was starting to get old.

Maggie sighed. "I see you've inherited Sheila's overdeveloped distrust of others. It served her well occasionally, I'll admit. But other times, such overkill."

She patted the seat beside her. "Please, come sit by me, child. The last time I saw you, your teeth had yet to grow in, yet your grandmother swore you were still the cutest baby alive." She smiled at Bonnie. "I'm certain you must have been her pride and joy, growing up so beautiful and powerful." Then she grimaced. "Although not always so wise."

Bonnie frowned. "What makes you say that?" she asked guardedly. "What do you want from me?"

Maggie shook her head sadly. "Do you believe that's all you are, Bonnie, a tool for others to use at their convenience? Is that what your grandmother raised you to think of yourself?"

Mystified by her words, Bonnie slowly approached her and sat carefully in the offered seat, her eyes on the other woman the entire time.

The woman briefly touched Bonnie's face and smoothed back a strand of hair. It was a gesture that felt familiar in its maternal reassurance, and Bonnie realized it was because her own grandmother used to give similar soothing touches. For years now, that had been missing from Bonnie's life, and she sensed all of a sudden, just how much she repressed her longing for it. And immediately became confused, because there was something about Maggie Durant that she innately trusted, but it was impossible, and stupid, since the woman was not only a stranger, but also a guest of the Gemini coven.

"You're not ready," came Maggie's gentle voice, and Bonnie caught the compassion in her eyes, as she seemed to make a decision, giving a brief nod.

"You'll soon need someone to talk to, and when that time comes, I would like for you to find me." Then she took Bonnie's hands in hers, and added solemnly, "Until then, take heed. Because if you're not careful, my dear, you'll make an enemy of someone that stands to be your greatest ally." Then her eyes twinkled. "And I don't mean myself."

* * *

"Argh! Stop, you fucker!"

The man was doubled over, his face contorted in pain. Kai's hand kept a tight grip on his arm, the reddish glow there growing fainter as he slowly bled dry the other man's magic.

"It's only temporary," Kai told him lightly, not a hint of apology in his tone. "But please, give me a reason to make it permanent."

"What's going on?" asked the girl in the corner of the room, huddled in the bed with the covers wrapped tightly around her body. Her housekeeping uniform had been thrown haphazardly around the floor. She had been making her rounds on the floor just half an hour past, but had gotten sidetracked upon reaching this particular room.

It belonged to one of the warlocks. One of the nastier ones.

Kai, Rachel, and Jo had been lying in wait unseen, monitoring the girl's actions as she spoke to the man who had opened his door, chanted something quickly, and waved his hand towards the maid. She had instantly dropped the keycard and a spray bottle she'd been holding, abandoning the housekeeping cart she'd been toting in the middle of the hall.

It hadn't taken long before they'd heard the sounds of muffled, agonized screams. Barging inside, they had found blood on the sheets and the housekeeper tangled in them, naked and spread-eagled on the bed, bound by invisible threads of magic. The warlock had stupidly attacked blindly, then tried to backtrack when he realized who had interrupted him.

Kai had disabled him by rupturing his spleen from inside out.

"Why are you hurting him?"

Kai gave the housekeeper a brief glance, taking in the fresh welts and healing burns on her bare shoulders and arms. Her eyes were glazed and emitting an eery yellow glow. He spared a look of disgust at the man still groaning in pain, then extended five fingers and watched in satisfaction as he was suddenly flung against the wall, hard. He landed on the floor in an unconscious heap.

Jo stepped forward and felt the other man's wrist for a pulse. "Kind of faint," she said, but her voice held no accusation. "Think you took a little too much. He might hemorrhage to death, too."

Kai shrugged, then moved to the girl on the bed, whose eyes had turned back to normal. She was scrambling in confusion, starting to hyperventilate, and he held out his hands slowly, palms facing her, as he got close enough to read her name tag.

"Danielle," he said in a soothing voice. "Try not to panic." He murmured under his breath, and strands of magic reached out to twine around her head, disappearing into her skull, while other strands weaved towards the marks on her body. Presently, she became quiet, her skin restored to wholeness. Her eyes had become slightly glazed again, the effects of Kai's magic as it worked to replace her recent memories.

He turned his back and nodded to Rachel, who stepped forward, her own hands waving in the air. As Danielle's clothes floated up from the floor towards her, he said to Jo, "Call a cab, have this one brought back to Portland. Rachel, take care of that bleeding before he goes."

"Does he still live on the family estate?"

Kai glanced at the man. His name was Mickey Wallingsford, and once upon a time, he and Kai had run in the same circles in high school. The younger witches and mages who hated their families and the coven and plotted their decimation through the use of the dark arts. After Kai's return, it hadn't surprised him at all that the elder Wallingsford had died mysteriously and Mickey was now running his father's accounting firm.

His high school compadre had offered Kai his support the first time they'd reconnected. "I got a couple ideas on how you can take care of your old man," Mickey had said from the comfort of his sleek office. Kai had listened with interest, and watched with more care, as Mickey had thrown his magic around. Whatever he was into had obviously been honed well, the tell-tale sign of black magic obvious in the ebony haze that overtook the other man's eyes.

Mickey had a weakness for younger women, barely out of high school or just new to college. They were his practice dummies. He was smart enough not to leave any lasting damage, had never yet become sloppy enough to actually commit murder. But sometimes, there were worse things than dying.

The coven tolerated it because nobody in the circle wanted to be accused of casting the first stone, or having their own private activities become the next target.

"Yes," he told Jo, then added darkly, "but not for long."

Half an hour later, they called a small assembly, with him, Rachel, and Jo presiding.

When these unexpectedly came up, the general consensus was that something truly amazing had happened or there had been a royal fuck up. When it was any of the Parkers themselves, the premier family, responsible for the unexpected assembly, consensus was that everyone needed to mind their Ps and Qs because otherwise, the Parkers would fuck shit up, amazingly.

"Just a reminder," Kai said to the gathered elders in the room. "My siblings and I did warn everyone in the coven to keep it low-key for the weekend."

"We're not in grade school," Richard Vansel said haughtily. "No need to be told again."

"Oh, no? Because I distinctly recall walking in on your family surrounding my sister's table of human guests earlier." Kai let his face fall in disappointment. "And you, Richard, were full-throttle magic scanning the shit out of those people." Kai smiled questioningly. "Now, what do you think we should do about that?"

The older man had no answer, as the rest of the witches began murmuring.

"No aggressive display of powers with our human guests or staff," Rachel intoned sharply. "No discussion of it either, in the presence of those who are unaware of such things. Those were our family's requests, to which you all agreed."

"As seniors," Jo added, "it's up to all of us to enforce the rules for our individual families."

Various heads nodded in the group, while other faces turned shifty. Kai ran his tongue over his teeth, starting to lose patience. "It's pretty sad," he cut in, "when I have to intervene with an elder who can't abide these rules."

Everyone looked to Richard Vansel expectantly, as if either waiting for him to explode with apologies or simply explode. Decimated by Kai's volatile temper.

"In fact, it kind of pisses me off because I came here to enjoy myself. I mean, who isn't here to have fun?" Then Kai put up a finger, answering his own question, "Oh, oh, wait. I know. Mickey."

Awareness crept up among the other witches now, and the murmuring suddenly died as their heads looked around, noting his absence.

"Now, he hasn't exactly put in much time as an elder, but Mickey's been around long enough." Kai sat back. "Not a good idea to harass the staff, in general. But for this event?" He shook his head. "That earned him an uninvite."

The guests looked vaguely curious.

"Oh, and I took his powers."

 _That_ caused a minor uproar. Observing it with bored eyes, Kai let his siblings deal with the questions and the politics and whatever fallout resulted from banishing one of the established elders, standing to excuse himself from the rest of the meeting.

Before he strode out of the room, Kai paused beside someone.

"Maybe think about that, next time you and your family try to use your magic on the humans," Kai said in a friendly, helpful tone and patted Richard Vansel on the back, pleased as punch when the older man shrank back from the gesture.

As always, after anything grueling that involved having to refrain from magically busting people's kneecaps, Kai went straight to the snack area and treated himself to the complimentary premium honey roasted almonds. Although what he really wanted was a good old bag of pork rinds.

Chewing thoughtfully as he sat in the lobby, watching the sun disappear further into the horizon, he tried to enjoy the momentary peace.

Minutes later, the elevator doors dinged. He tossed a glance back and saw Tyler step out with Noah Vansel, of all people. That made for a strange equation, although the two appeared to be getting along as he watched them approach. He nodded to the pair as they walked by, and saw that neither appeared overly thrilled to see him. It filled him with immense gladness. What good was being a warlock if he couldn't sow a little fear into the men involved with his sister?

"The groom-to-be and the bride's ex-boyfriend," Kai said, bringing the pair to a stop before him. He didn't bother standing, continuing instead to munch on his snack. "Who would've seen you two hitting it off?"

"There's a game on," Tyler said, nodding in the direction of the bar at the other wing of the lobby. "Thought I'd grab a couple drinks while I watch. Dex was supposed to watch it with me, but he's MIA."

"And Noah here kindly offered to stand in as your drinking buddy?" Kai tilted his head, letting a look of incredulity cross his face. "Awfully big of you, Noah. Hasn't it only been two years since your parents were busy planning Liv's betrothal to you?"

Noah shrugged, then turned to Tyler. "Liv and I were over a long time ago," he reassured. "And I'm not my parents, I wasn't planning on proposing."

"Really?" Kai's voice lowered threateningly. "So, what, you were just sitting back expecting to keep drinking the milk for free without buying the cow?" He tsked. "Wasted a lot of time, Noah. Now look." He smiled at Tyler. "A better man has taken your place."

While he carelessly kept munching away, watching as Tyler now eyed Noah with a small frown, Kai's mind ran with possibilities on what the hell Noah was up to.

Noah shook his head in disgust, as he threw up his hands. "Whatever, man," he said. "I just wanted to watch a damn game and forget about all the people stuck in this building." He turned to Tyler, adding, "Look, I don't plan on stealing Liv away. I'm going to the bar, I don't really care if you want to join me."

Tyler watched him go, and Kai was disappointed to see that his future brother-in-law obviously felt bad. "So you're kind of an asshole, huh?" Tyler said, glaring at Kai.

"Just stating some hard truths. You shouldn't be friends with that one, Tyler."

"Trust me, I don't want anyone here as a friend. In fact, if Liv wasn't so under your thumb, we would've eloped a long time ago."

"Hey, hey, maybe you're not here to make friends, but don't go antagonizing your future family, yeah?"

"Your family is crazy."

"Yes," Kai agreed cheerfully. "I can't argue with that. But I, for one, am rooting for you to make good choices, Tyler. Because if you don't, and that leads to getting yourself into trouble for any reason, and Liv starts nagging me because this wedding has gone kaput? Let's just say, I hate cleaning up other people's messes. Makes me cranky on top of crazy." He lowered his voice in mock warning. "You don't want to see me that way."

Not once taking his eyes off the other man, Kai wiped the crumbs off his hands and tossed the empty bag behind him without looking, directly into the trash. Tyler's jaw clenched and unclenched for several moments, before he turned on his heel without another word, and made his way back to the elevators.

Kai stood slowly, cracking the muscles in his shoulders and neck. Now _he_ felt like he needed a drink, but just before he could decide if he wanted to go antagonize Noah some more, or go back to his own suite and raid the mini-bar there, his phone vibrated.

 _dex's room,_ came the text from luke. _hurry. best man and geoff fighting about strippers._

He snickered to himself. His brothers had originally planned Tyler's bachelor party, with a stern warning from Liv not to go to any nearby strip clubs. A warning that they had followed to the letter, when Dex and Geoff requested that the exotic dancers arrive at Dex's suite instead.

Luke hadn't been thrilled, if only because of self-preservation. "If Liv finds out, not even God can help us," he'd grumbled to the others. And Tyler's best man, whose name kept escaping him, had objected because-well, Kai hadn't stuck around to hear why.

 _let em kill each other,_ Kai texted back _. two less lap dances, more nice strippers for us._

 _do you want to die a lot today?_ came Luke's instant reply. _b/c Liv will kill us. then revive us. then kill us again._

 _fine. nix the strippers. also j/k about best man. don't let geoff hurt him._

 _geoff's about to use magic. can I kill him?_

Kai stood, growling softly. He passed the main entrance, heading to the wing where Dex's room was located, and was just about to disappear under the arches, when he spotted one of his favorite elder elders walking out of a side room. She appeared completely engrossed in conversation-

-with Tyler's friend, Bonnie. Kai brought himself up short, studying the pair.

Kai had a sudden flashback to their first meeting.

 _"Hiiiii, everyone...I'm Bonnieeeee..."_

Eyes narrowed into slits, he shook his head. His gut was always right. The woman was not what she appeared. The valley talk, the gushing, the overall effort of trying too damn hard. It was difficult to reconcile that person with the one before his eyes now. No longer simpering, no longer playing with her hair, she spoke in hushed tones with Maggie Durant, who, from his own experience, was not at all the type to brook fools in her presence.

What the hell was Maggie doing with her?

He whipped his phone out.

 _take care of geoff. whatever it takes. i'm busy._

Kai found an alcove to hide in and watch the unlikely pair, undisturbed.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Muchas gracias for the feedback again! I find things in your reviews that help me add more to the story and see connections that I may have glossed over, so keep it coming! Good luck to everyone tomorrow night, hopefully we don't get our hearts broken too bad. This chapter is a little longer because while the pesky story sometimes gets in the way of Bonkai interaction, when I finally do get to their shared scenes, I tend to go a little overboard. Enjoy!

 ** _CHAPTER SEVEN_**

Bonnie walked slowly back outside, not much paying heed to where she was going. All thoughts of Liv's bachelorette activities had completely fled her brain after the encounter with her grandmother's friend.

Maggie Durant, for all that she appeared to try and be helpful, had only offered cryptic warnings to Bonnie that didn't in way ease any of her misgivings. She knew at some point during the weekend, she would have to go seek her out. If only so that the older woman could stir real, honest to goodness hope-even a guarantee-that everything would work out. The way Grams would have, if she was still alive.

"Look who finally joined!" came someone's shout.

Bonnie glanced up and saw Liv approach with wobbly steps. She was dressed in army fatigues and boots.

Bonnie stopped and took in the scene before her. Under a wide expanse of the night sky, a row of lanterns illuminated the maze on the estate. It was two acres worth of tall, neatly trimmed hedges. Somewhere in the middle of it was a gazebo, where, if you climbed to the top, you could gain a better perspective to plot out your exit from the maze. Bonnie normally would have been tempted to try her luck, but as it was, she couldn't imagine a worse scenario for herself.

And now, it was a stomping ground for roaming teams of female paintballers at war. Some of them witches.

"What the hell were you thinking, Liv?" Bonnie asked.

"Two teams," her friend said, ignoring the question, her face beaming with excitement. "One coming in from this entrance, the other going through the eastern end. We meet in the middle where the gazebo is, and take as many enemy colors out as we can. Whoever puts their team flag up first on top of the gazebo, wins." She then lifted the flask at her side. "Don't forget your drink." She pointed to the bartender set up with his mixers a few yards away. "They'll fill it with whatever you want."

Bonnie couldn't hide her smile at her friend's obvious enthusiasm. "Oh, yea, this is going to go well," she said dryly, as she strapped on the equipment her friend handed out.

"Don't really get wasted, though, Bon," said Liv, hiccupping. "Cuz I'm kinda gone already and one of us has to stay sharp."

With that, she slipped her goggles on, tripped into the maze, and disappeared.

Bonnie gripped the paintball gun in her hand cautiously. It had been years since she'd done anything like this, and she wasn't sure if she was in the right frame of mind just then. Nobody else remained outside the maze, though. In the distance, she could hear the whoops and war cries coming from somewhere in the tall hedges, mingled with laughter and terrified screams.

Bonnie threw back her shoulders, put her own goggles over her face, and dove into the entrance.

She worked her way through the maze, keeping her body in a sideways stance. Jeremy had taught her this position made for a smaller, harder to hit target.

It took a few minutes for her to encounter anyone, and when she did, without thinking too hard about it, she let loose with a sudden barrage of shots. The woman was wearing heels. Clearly disregarding Liv's instructions on proper attire had done her no favors. She toppled over under Bonnie's onslaught, and lay on the ground, a mess of orange all over her flimsy outfit. But she also appeared to be drunk. Just when Bonnie would have offered her a hand up, the woman fell asleep.

"Arrrggghhhh!"

Bonnie whirled around, stepping aside to avoid the insane woman rushing her. She saw the other woman's rifle waving wildly, a spray of paint hitting everywhere, on the hedges, on the grass, on one of the lanterns tucked along the stone half wall. Bonnie ducked and swiped a leg out, tripping the woman. She looked at herself. Not a lick of paint on her clothes.

She smiled, drew her paintball gun up, and neatly clipped the woman on the shoulder with a splatter of orange.

"Aw, man," the other woman grumbled, obviously disgusted with herself.

Bonnie moved along.

After several minutes of turning the corners and hitting dead ends, she tried to clamber along one of the walls to get a view of what direction the gazebo could be. Her foot found a heavy vine twining up the stone, and she used it to leverage herself higher along the wall. She'd gotten high enough to see the top of the gazebo, a couple of yards south, when her foot slipped and she lost her grip, falling backwards.

"Oof!" She dropped, hard, and the ground underneath felt firm and muscular, and gave far less cushion than she expected.

"Ouch," the ground said.

Bonnie gasped, scrambling up and away on all fours.

She had fallen atop a large woman, who now lay prone on the grass. Wearing dark clothes, the woman blended into the shadows of the maze. The only thing Bonnie could make out were the pair of goggles on her face.

"Sorry," Bonnie said, her paintball gun trained on the newcomer.

The amazon got to her feet, partially stepping into the light of a lantern. She couldn't make out the woman's face, but Bonnie soon noted the lack of curves and the discreet play of muscles on the thighs and entire upper body. Not a woman.

His tall form sagged against the wall she'd just climbed, as he rubbed at a spot on his chest, waving a hand at her in dismissal.

"No worries," he rasped out. "Just knocked the breath out of me. Give me a sec."

He leaned his elbows on his thighs, breathing heavily.

"Who knew you'd weigh so much?"

Excuse him? Bonnie stood up tall, forgetting herself momentarily. "Oh, yea," she said in total disdain. "Because all five feet two inches of me is just clearly too much baggage for someone your size." She snorted. "Maybe you need to retool your workout routine."

Pushing away from the wall, he drew up to his full height, staring down at her in silence for a beat. He wore a hoodie that masked everything but his goggles.

"Or maybe," he drawled, his deep voice vibrating with soft laughter, "you ate too many of those cannolis I left you and Liv this morning."

Bonnie's stomach dropped. Oh, no. It couldn't be-

He took his goggles off, pushing back his hoodie. Kai Parker sauntered close, aiming his dangerous, lady-killer grin right in her face. "Hi, sassy."

Bonnie backed away, but he matched her step for step.

"You know, I couldn't figure out why Liv wouldn't tell me which of her friends was helping her fix her dress." He came to a stop before Bonnie, much too close for comfort. "Because I kinda felt like even with the door in the way, there was a spark, right?" He motioned between them. "I think we shared a moment there. And I figured, look around," he indicated with his hands around the landscape, "it's the perfect romantic setting for two people to meet and improve their intimacy."

His breath fanned her face, as Bonnie scowled into deceptively playful gray eyes.

"I asked myself, why does Liv not want me to meet her friend?" he said softly, his eyes moving over hers. Then he chuckled. "Well, the joke's on me, because it turns out, I already had. Except, this friend in question seems to change personalities like some people change shoes."

"So, Bonnie, care to explain why that is?" His eyes turned suspicious. "What're you hiding, hmm?"

Bonnie found herself holding her breath, every muscle rigid. She licked her lips nervously, saw his eyes drop to her mouth, and linger. She'd never been so glad in her life that she had applied her best lip gloss just before leaving her room.

She used the distraction to quickly lift her gun and fire a spray of paint all over his chest, toppling his large body backwards again. Then she ran like hell.

* * *

Kai fell on his ass under the assault. She'd shot him at close range, with probably everything in the cartridge. He lay on his back again, seeing stars that had nothing to do with the night sky. After a few seconds, he staggered back up and smacked his lips, testing.

She'd made him eat paint.

He licked his mouth and grinned.

With slow, meandering steps, he started his pursuit, allowing Bonnie to think she had a head start. Nearby, he heard the tell tale sounds of scuffling and the blast of a paint ball gun finding its targets. Using a cloaking spell, he followed the noises, going unnoticed by the few stray women he passed. All of them were covered in the same shades of orange he wore, but unlike him, all of them were inebriated and stayed on the ground, groaning. He couldn't be a hundred percent sure, but he suspected some of them had run into Bonnie. She played a good game.

His smile grew predatory, as he picked up a paintball rifle that lay discarded beside a snoring woman.

He continued his way along the hedges. It had gotten noticeably quieter in their section of the maze. He used more caution, as he sent out a trickle of magic to help locate his prey.

In a few seconds, he caught up to her, only to stop short as his eyes took in the scene. "Dammit," he muttered to himself.

Small wonder it had gone quiet. Bonnie had been cornered by Fiona and two other witches.

Still cloaked, he stepped silently closer, until he was just a few feet away from Bonnie, her face clearly in view.

Her paintball gun hung loosely from one hand, as she stood with her head thrown back in defiance, glaring at Fiona. They were a completely mismatched pair, Bonnie's petite frame in jeans and a plain shirt, while willowy Fiona towered several inches over her, dressed in a sleek black cat suit and heeled knee-high boots. She looked like a fashion model dressing up for a photo shoot.

One of her hands was stretched out to Bonnie, who suddenly grabbed her head in agony.

Kai bristled in anger, but he couldn't truthfully tell if he was more pissed that he'd just caught a witch blatantly disregarding the Gemini rules, or that someone else had beaten him to the punch when it came to prying out little Bonnie Hartwright's secrets.

Except his way, he knew, would have been much more pleasant.

When he noticed the blood trickling under Bonnie's nose, he moved forward with clenched fists, ready to disable the other witches, but halted when Bonnie suddenly said, "There's nothing to tell, I don't know anything!"

Fiona gritted her teeth. "How's that possible? You're his childhood friend! What's his worst secret? Has he been arrested for anything?"

"You're screwy if you think I'd give up dirt on my friend to you."

The other witches looked to Fiona with questioning glances. She raised her hand again, and Bonnie cried out.

"Spill it, Bonnie," Fiona urged. "Or I'll do this all night."

Kai saw Bonnie's gaze shift, so fleetingly he almost missed it. But he was close enough to touch her and he hadn't strayed his eyes from her once, so he caught the tiny difference. Fiona's spell was either not strong enough, or this firecracker of a female had a few tricks up her sleeve.

"I can tell you," Bonnie said, her slitted eyes bright with pain and fury, "that Liv's behind you and ready to tear your asses up."

The trio of witches whipped their heads back in a panic, only to see nobody else in the area. Those few seconds cost them. Bonnie lifted her paintball gun and shot one of Fiona's friends directly in her temple in a blast of orange bullets. She landed in a heap on the ground by Fiona's feet.

Kai saw the other friend rushing Bonnie. He squinted his eyes at the woman and she promptly dropped to the ground, asleep.

"No!" Fiona cried, her eyes turning in rage to Bonnie. She lifted a hand and the gun in Bonnie's right hand went flying out. Fiona stalked over to the smaller woman, glowering as she began chanting.

Bonnie's right hand began to blister with a first degree burn. "Argh!" she screamed.

Fiona smiled but it died quickly when, from out of thin air, a second gun appeared in Bonnie's left hand, cocked directly under the blonde witch's chin. Fiona's eyes grew round, as Bonnie arched one brow.

"Gotcha, bitch," Bonnie said, her voice ragged.

Fiona's chin erupted in a splotch of orange, as she was knocked out cold from the impact.

Kai stared at Bonnie, completely dumbfounded. Who the hell was this woman?

It was only after she started walking away, a slight limp in her gait, that he shook himself and ran after her. He dispersed the cloaking spell and touched her shoulder, only to stop short when she pushed his hand away with her paintball gun, and aimed it at his face.

"Easy," he said, putting his hands up slowly.

"What do you want?" she said, her voice little more than a growl.

Kai didn't smile, or smirk, or invade her space. He gestured to her burned hand and hurt leg. "To help." His eyes never leaving hers, he moved in slow degrees to crouch beside the leg she favored.

"What happened?" he said in a low voice.

"Your girlfriend threw me against the wall. Landed on my knee funny."

An angry scrape showed the tear on her jeans, at the edge of her kneecap, blood congealed on its surface. He placed one hand to hover above it, while moving his other to where her burned hand hung limp.

As he chanted, the skin on both areas healed themselves, restored to smoothness.

The grimace on her face disappeared, but her eyes were unreadable, as she scooted away from him nervously. "Thanks."

Kai pulled himself to a stand. They both took that moment to look around the dead end turn, surrounded on three sides by hedge walls. The only way out was behind them. His eyes returned to the woman before him, and he found himself again unable to look away from her, as she kept her head bowed and fiddled with her paintball gun.

"Am I safe from that?" he asked, tossing her a playful smile. "As a casual fan of _Smashing Pumpkins_ , I still never expected to walk around looking like one."

Her eyes flicked up, wary.

He moved away from her, retracing his steps to where the unconscious witches lay. He moved to Fiona's friend, the one he'd disabled with a sleep spell, and shot her with a blast of paint on the side of her head as well. It wouldn't do if she woke up without any tell-tale paint on her face to explain why she'd been knocked out. He didn't put a lot of stock into the woman's mental acuity, but Fiona wasn't stupid and even if she didn't arrive at the correct conclusion-that Kai had been involved-who knew what assumptions she would make about Bonnie. For additional peace of mind, he murmured another incantation, his magic trailing along the three women as he repeated it.

" _Meum locum recentia_ ," he finished.

Catching Bonnie's watchful gaze, he explained himself. "Better they remember nothing about this whole incident. Otherwise, they'll just keep coming after you. They'll wake up thinking they got taken out randomly with head shots and got minor concussions."

The thought briefly crossed his mind that in doing this, he was giving Fiona and the Vansels a free pass on attacking one of the other guests. No matter that it was Bonnie, and she'd actually ended up winning the fight-it rankled him, that he couldn't dole out punishment in proper coven style. Such flagrant disregard of house rules from the Vansels didn't sit well with him. If any of his siblings were in his shoes, he knew they wouldn't hesitate to bring her and her friends before another small council. Although, Jesus, how many more of those did Liv's wedding need? But he didn't wish to put the spotlight on Bonnie, which would happen if he followed protocol and banished Fiona from the wedding.

"You're going to need to watch your back from now on," he warned her.

"I thought you were doing plenty of that already."

Kai rubbed a hand over his eyes, suddenly tired.

Bonnie continued eyeing him suspiciously as he made his way back to her. Seeing her shy away as he moved closer made him bristle. "What's it take?" he muttered to himself, looking around in disbelief. "Look, I'm sorry if I spooked you earlier, okay? And I'm even more sorry that you got hurt." He realized he was genuinely apologizing to this girl and decided to back track. "All of which is still not my damn fault. You came here under false pretenses. Clearly you're not an idiot. And based on your lack of surprise when I cast my spell, you're well aware that you're surrounded by a group of supernatural witches. It's called reaping what you sow." He crossed his arms. "And now I think it's your turn."

"Excuse me?"

His jaw clenched. "It's your turn to apologize. For lying."

He knew just from the angle of her head and the tilt of her brows that she was going to get fresh, and somehow that perked him right up. "Okay," she said sweetly. "I accept your half-assed apology. Now here's mine: I'm really, _really_ sorry that Liv's unbelievably extended wedding has to include her paranoid coven and creepy brothers."

She raised her brows at him and gestured with her hands in a 'happy now?' way.

Kai let himself appear to be mulling it over. "Well, that didn't sound sincere at all," he said finally. "So, no, I don't accept _your_ apology."

"However will I sleep at night," she said flatly.

At an impasse, they stood glaring at each other.

"Okay, I see that I'll need to be the mature one here," he said, recognizing the bite in his tone and trying again. "I came here-I was looking for you because I...I just wanted to ask you a few things."

Immediately, her guard came up. She backed away some more.

"Bonnie," he said, putting a hand out.

"You wanna do twenty questions about Tyler, right?" she asked angrily, evading him. "Why do you people keep obsessing over him? He's a good guy and makes Liv happy. Let it go." She looked back to where they came from, then glowered at him. "Did you sic your girlfriend on me?"

His anger rose, and it came out in a frustrated laugh. "You're good, you know that? I mean, you have me playing defense when you're the one who's been going around lying through your cute little teeth this whole time."

"What was so bad about me playing dumb? Lots of women do it!" She brought her hands up and shook them in mock horror. "Oooooh! Look at me, I'm smarter than I seem! Someone call the witch police!"

And now he was genuinely offended. "Okay, let's clear the air, shall we?" he said, as he deftly threw a spell around their area that froze them in that moment in time. He really didn't need any interruptions right now. "One," he started, walking up to Bonnie, eyeing her seriously. "Fiona never has and never will be my damn girlfriend. Two, I don't sic people on anyone. Why would I, when I can do it better myself. And three, I-" he stopped. "I don't intend to see you hurt. I just want to make sure you're not here to cause problems for my coven. And Tyler..." he stopped, realizing she'd honed in on something that he had completely forgotten.

All this time suspecting Bonnie, and by extension Tyler, and it had escaped his mind something that Liv had once told him. The town they were all from, Mystic Falls, was notorious for its unpleasant history with vampires. Tyler had lost his mother to one. Who was to say that Bonnie hadn't experienced the same loss? She was smart, tough, and resourceful, all skills one would have needed, growing up in a town like that.

"Honestly, the worst thing that I could accuse Tyler of doing," he continued solemnly. "Is possibly tying himself to a witch family to avoid any more problems with vampires."

Bonnie's face scrunched in disgust. "What? Where are you getting that from?"

"You grew up in the same town. Are you telling me that Tyler doesn't have a problem with them, the creatures responsible for his mother's death?"

She was strangely quiet and still, waiting for him to continue.

"The only reason Tyler appeared as a blip on my radar is because of all the attention the Vansels were giving him." He shrugged. "You might've picked up on the history Liv has with Noah. That relationship was what their family was riding on to move up in the coven, by marrying into ours." He wasn't sure why he was disclosing so much information to her, but figured it was a last ditch effort, giving her lots to settle her mind and in turn, see what he could receive. "Fiona tries hard, but it hasn't gotten her anywhere with my brothers. _Or me._ "

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

He chewed the inside of his lip. "So you know that I'm not trying to crucify Tyler. I want this wedding to happen, Bonnie. The Vansels don't. You could easily get caught up again in their crosshairs. I-I want you to be careful."

"Why, what's it to you?"

He chuckled. "It's cute how prickly you are."

She still had suspicion in her eyes, but he figured progress had been made because she tucked her paintball gun away into the holster of her borrowed vest.

He quelled a sigh of relief.

She exhaled softly, her face tilting up to the sky, her eyes closed. Kai frowned as he took in her features, feeling a sense of deja vu. Something about this moment felt familiar. He zeroed in on Bonnie's features, his brow clearing as he recalled the woman he'd seen in the window this morning. It had been her, with the look of peace on her face as she faced the day.

Bitter irony rushed over him suddenly. He'd wanted to know for himself how that kind of contentment felt. But after a day immersed in his world, and right now in his presence, she'd obviously lost that feeling. She looked defeated and miserable.

He had a burning need to pick her brain apart with questions, but he simply couldn't bring himself to start.

"I want this wedding to be over and done with as much as you," she said, her voice soft and low. "But you're going to suspect what you want about me. So just ask yourself, have I done anything that makes it seem like I want to cause trouble?"

If he answered her honestly, he would have to admit that no matter her intentions, she was most definitely causing trouble. Mainly, to him. She bothered the shit out of him, and had since the first time he'd heard her voice. Even earlier, before she'd duped him with her airhead performance, his attention had been drawn to her, seated inconspicuously at the table.

Kai shook his head. "Maybe I'm not the best judge of that," he said. "I think everyone's trouble." He threw up a hand in disgust. "I should go find my own island to live on, away from people."

She stole another quick glance at him. "You're the all-powerful heir to the Geminis. You could probably just find your own dimension to live in solitude for the rest of your life."

That hit so close to home, he almost had trouble breathing for a second. Did she know? But she didn't seem to recognize the effect those words had on him. They didn't mean anything to her. After all, who would believe that he had in fact spent almost two decades doing just what she suggested? Living in a pocket world for six months out of every year with an old man desperate for his grandson to make something out of nothing, to create a spark of humanity in someone who appeared to be born with none.

His gaze searching, he stepped closer to her carefully, hoping she didn't shy away again.

"I saw you earlier, with a friend of mine. My only friend, I should say. Maggie Durant."

Bonnie lifted a brow. "You were spying on us."

"Justifiably, yes," he said. "The most interesting part about it was no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make out a damn word. You two were in your own little sound bubble, unable to be heard outside of it." He wagged a finger, chuckling. "Very clever, that. Was it you or Maggie pulling that trick?"

"It's none of your business, Kai," she said, crossing her arms.

He gritted his teeth, because it gave him a kick, the way she said his name, and he hated that he couldn't properly focus just then on the appropriate thing. Trying to gather his thoughts proved difficult before the clear green eyes defiantly challenging him.

"Are you a witch?" he asked.

"I have no powers. Can't you tell?"

"Bonnie-"

"Try me," she interrupted, all indignation now. This time, it was she who stepped closer. "Liv told me that you can siphon off magic from other witches. So. Try it."

It struck him that this was precisely the plan he had in mind earlier, if all else failed and she refused to give him any answers. But in the back of his head, he had expected-maybe a little prematurely-that they would end up having sex, where he could then have used the intimacy to deftly check if she had any powers to absorb.

Following that thought, explicit sexual images of himself with the woman who was currently standing too damn near invaded his brain. Momentarily, he wished that he'd taken Nadine up on her offer for a closet interlude earlier. All of the day's drama had him far too keyed up. It was messing with his concentration.

"I know all about the supernatural stuff, yes," Bonnie admitted, her voice low and soft. "But I'm telling you, you're not going to find magic in me. Go ahead." She brought her palm up, between their bodies.

The truth was, he could glean no paranormal aura from the woman standing in front of him. But the skin she was offering up was too enticing for the devil in him to spurn. He could see the beads of sweat from her exertion, smell the lingering sweetness of her perfume...

With clenched jaws, he tried to clear his mind. This wasn't the time to get distracted.

He narrowed his eyes. "Don't try anything like shooting me again with that gun of yours. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice..." he paused, taking her hand in his and twining their fingers together, "...and it won't just be shame on you, Bonnie."

He saw her swallow.

"I'll rain hell on you," he said, his voice like gravel.

Brow wrinkled in concentration, he tugged gently with his mind, waiting for the familiar tingle to start in his fingers. He waited. But there was nothing. Patent disbelief rose in his chest. He had to dig deeper. Skimming the surface was usually enough for most people, and his preferred method of stealing magical essences, since it didn't hurt as much for the other person. But when he wanted to? Oh, it could burn.

"I'm sorry," he said, genuinely this time, seeing the wariness in her eyes. "I have to try again, and if you happen to have powers after all, this might sting."

"Do your worst," she replied smugly.

He fought a smile at her spunk.

Seconds passed where he was strenuously pulling and getting nothing, while she remained unfazed by his touch. So in this, she hadn't been lying. At least one thing checked out with this woman. He felt a surge of relief mixed, oddly enough, with a tiny hint of disappointment. He'd been so sure she had magic...

Absently, he realized the tip of his thumb was rubbing the soft skin on the back of her hand. They had drifted nearer to each other, their joined hands resting against his chest. His head bent down towards her, and hers tilted up to his, they remained standing like that, even after he had ended the attempt to siphon from her.

She was just human, after all. With a lot of secrets, and a talent for paintball, but no obvious ill-intent towards his family. At the edge of his consciousness prowled the thought that, in the end, this woman had turned out to be just his sister's pretty friend. Exactly his impression of her when they'd first met. And much more multi-faceted than expected.

She would make for a fun chase. If he listened closely, he could almost hear the predator inside him howling for its prey.

For Bonnie.

Afraid to ruin the moment, he didn't move, or dare blink, as he breathed in her scent. Her own breath had slowed to non-existence, and he saw her gaze dart to his mouth.

"Kai," she whispered.

There was an invitation in how she said his name just now. It surprised him, but not really, because even if she was probably the biggest unexpected treat that had dropped in his lap in recent memory, even if she proved by tonight's actions her own unpredictability-he knew himself, and the sway he had with women. Bonnie, like everyone else, found him irresistible.

Closing his eyes, he bent his head lower-

And felt a small pair of hands shove him back, hard.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bonnie asked, looking pissed.

Kai blinked. "I would think it was obvious," he said. "Sorry. Were we not having another moment?"

She glared at him. "I have a boyfriend."

Now that, he knew was a lie. But he kept that to himself. "All right, all right," he said, lifting his hands up in defeat.

She paced a few steps, muttering to herself, "I can't keep doing this with you. We'll be here all night." She stopped. "Yes, okay, I misrepresented myself initially. I just didn't want to get pulled into anything with you witches. Thought if I acted dumb, I'd be left alone."

"Why?"

"I've lost too many people that I cared about to the supernatural."

As he'd suspected. It was a valid reason, one that he'd heard plenty of times before from other people. Most humans were afraid of exploring the hidden world, preferring instead to remain ignorant about the obvious bumps in the night. Of the ones who knew, some eventually tried their best to forget, because remembering hurt too much. So Bonnie was one of them. He wondered momentarily who she had lost, how many, at what age. And when her turning point had been.

He knew he'd been staring too long at her face, because she became antsy again.

"I don't want to get into it," she warned. "If I have personal things that I choose not to share with you or your siblings, don't hold it against anyone else. And by anyone, I mean Tyler."

He bit his lip in thought. "Kind of a tall order there. I mean, you've basically been dissembling since I met you. And Tyler's your friend, so...well, birds of a feather, right?"

"Trust your sister, then. There's a reason why we're in her life. She wouldn't have become my friend, and Tyler wouldn't be her fiancée, if we meant her or any of your family harm."

Kai pretended to consider this. It served him to keep her off-balance, still thinking that he considered her a threat. "Not bad advice," he said, but then shook his head reluctantly, adding, "unfortunately, Bonnie, my sister hasn't always been the best judge of character."

Bonnie's finger traced her brow and down the side of her face, the epitome of frustration. She threw her hands up finally, and just stared at him.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," he said, throwing her what he hoped was his best wicked bedroom eyes.

"Since we're not getting anywhere," she said through clenched teeth, "I'm just waiting for you to let us out. I wasn't born yesterday. No way we've been standing here this long and coincidentally, not a single soul finds us. Lift whatever magic juice you're using."

Not a witch, just an incredibly smart cookie. That he absolutely wanted to take a bite out of. "I'm really digging this bossy version of you. Think she'll stick around?"

"Kai!"

"Fine!" He waved a hand dismissively, lifting the spell.

She immediately stalked off, but he followed her again, until he matched her stride. She walked fast, but his legs were much longer, so it was no effort to him to keep up.

"Was there something else?" she asked.

"Might've escaped your notice," he said, "but Fiona and her friends are gone, we don't know where they are, so I'm walking you back to the lodge to make sure it's safe."

"I can take care of myself."

"Humor me."

They followed the way back from where they had entered. The new moon peeked out from a clear night sky as they walked along the hedge path, their arms occasionally brushing. Each time it happened, she veered closer to the hedges, but the twigs poking her soon brought her shoulder right back into contact with his elbow. Her skittishness was adorable, and he struggled to hide his growing smile. Bonnie threw him another suspicious glance that he ignored, as he began whistling softly.

"Why is it so quiet?" she muttered, when they reached the exit.

"Uh, probably has to do with the drunk stupor all of those women are in," he replied carelessly. "I'm sure Liv is somewhere around here snoring." He looked up and caught a glimpse of the gazebo in the distance. "Oh, look, orange flag. Your team won." He grinned at her.

Bonnie stopped. "I should go get Liv and make sure she sleeps properly."

He blocked her way. "Bonnie," he chided. "Maybe you're a little bit more bad-ass than most, but you're also tired, tiny, and completely unequipped to haul Liv back to her suite." He placed gentle hands on her shoulders and guided her away from the maze. "I'll take care of it."

They trekked back to the building in silence for a few more minutes. And again, he felt her quick probing glances. "Something wrong?" he finally asked.

"You tell me. Am I...cleared by security?"

"Jury's still out on that, we may need to do a cavity search."

Her eyes rolled.

"Oh, come on," he said, laughing. "You gave me the perfect set up. Don't blame me."

She suddenly stopped, her attention on something else. "Um, speaking of stripping..." she pointed with her chin.

Kai followed her gaze to the roundabout driveway in front of the building, where a nondescript van was parked. And out of which several scantily clad women were tumbling out, each of them carrying small cases. He could see Dex standing in the lobby, like an overgrown schoolboy about to open a candy tin.

"I'm going to murder my siblings," Kai said calmly.

Bonnie squinted an eye, disbelieving. "Sure about that?" she said. "I don't need to be a witch to predict that lots of sexy thongs await you in your immediate future."

Kai chuckled softly, amazed that she could stand there, laughing at him over her little joke, throwing words like 'thong' around.

"Damn tease," he muttered to himself, eyeing her as she kept grinning.

Maybe she could be pretend to ignore the current that was like a live wire running between them, but he sure as hell didn't have to. Lightning quick, he pushed himself back inside her personal space, close enough that their chests touched. He tried not to picture heaving her against the wall, plundering her mouth, licking what little bits of skin she was showing, and shoving his hands inside her jeans to rip off her own panties. If she even wore one.

She was no longer laughing as she held herself rigidly, barely breathing.

"Trust me," he said, voice husky. "The only woman I want stripping for me in my immediate future, has yet to enter that building." He waited until she met his eyes, and when she finally did, he cocked a brow arrogantly.

"Good night, Bon," he whispered, his nose grazing her temple.

Through a heavy-lidded gaze, he watched her breath hitch as he slowly pulled back, winked, and walked away.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:**

 **:'(**

I share your grief, guys. I'm jumping between the 5 stages right now, actually. But mainly, I'm mad that they refused to give Kai a proper send-off. Such potential in one character, mixed with such poor execution from the TVD writers. What an unrewarding experience. Ugh. It's embarrassing. I'm embarrassed for them.

 ** _CHAPTER EIGHT_**

Some time later, Kai was regretting his promise to take care of getting the drunk paintballers to their rooms. He'd first tried to use magic to teleport them but found to his dismay that a number of the witches had protective wards that prevented him from properly depositing them where they belonged. The interference meant he ran the risk of having random body parts scattered in different dimensions. He was tempted to still try it anyway, but abandoned the idea at the thought of Liv standing up at the altar with a flock of Frankenstein bridesmaids. Not to mention, Bonnie would probably go apeshit and, knowing her, find a real gun to use on him.

He moved on to plan B, finding circumspect staffers who helped move everyone to their room. Things were progressing well, and he was all set to give the staffers a generous tip, when they were distracted by a scuffle near the lobby.

It was Geoff and a group of his friends, trying to get inside one of the conference rooms. Dex stood in front of him, shrugging and giving off the impression of being a sad and helpless orphan, completely not the role that Kai had assigned to him, when he'd appointed him to guard the damn door.

The strippers were in there. Kai had led them inside earlier after he'd parted ways with Bonnie. They'd been bribed to stay hidden after another discreet staffer suggested that wine and cheese from the kitchens be brought out for them.

"You lost the strippers?!" rang Geoff's angry voice. "How the hell does that happen, Dex?!"

"Oh, yeah," Kai mumbled under his breath, nodding to himself. "This night just gets better and better."

He left the concierge in charge of the final round of paintballers to escort, and made his way towards his brothers. Strolling up casually, he smiled expectantly at the sudden quiet that fell over the group.

"What's happening?" he asked.

Geoff looked sullenly away. Dex remained mopey.

"Ooo-kay, well, since you're all here, I thought I'd let you guys know that Luke found a pool hall a few miles out. We'll go there for the bachelor party." Kai kept his smile firmly in place, although he could sense a sudden spike in hostile magic at his words. It didn't faze him, because he actually felt bad for them.

"That's like offering a starving man a pile of shit after dangling a chocolate mousse cake in front of him," said one of Geoff's friends.

Kai nodded, rubbing at his jaw as he studied the group. He really did feel for them, though.

"Gentlemen, I think we might be able to reach a compromise," he finally said.

Dex and a few men looked up hopefully, although Geoff continued to glare balefully at the walls.

"Meet at the pool hall in a half hour."

When it seemed like Geoff was going to bullishly stand there and try to jump the conference door, Dex pulled him aside and tried reason. It didn't work. Then Geoff's friends tried to talk him into cooperating, but he merely gave them a round of migraines. They were all mages, so nothing untoward there, except Kai wouldn't think much of a friend who did that to him.

Finally, Kai snapped his fingers, an invisible force instantly dragging Geoff towards him. Roughly, he grabbed him by the back of his collar and shoved him towards the conference room. "Alright, little bro," he said amiably. "You want a peek so bad? You want something to get you through those endless nights of sleeping next to a wife that can't stand to look you in the face, much less have to touch you, because showing your true colors to her depleted the poor woman of all love and libido?"

He threw open the doors and hurled his brother inside the room. "Have at it."

Kai dropped a last-minute glamour on the roomful of women. He watched as Geoff turned, anticipating sexy, barely dressed strippers.

Instead, nine horrifying vampires with bloodied fangs hissed at them.

Geoff screamed and cowered, not even bothering to use his magic as he ran frantically back to the door. Kai stopped him. "Where you going, Geoff?"

"Get out of my way! Can't you see?!"

Geoff almost mowed him down trying to get away. Chuckling, Kai followed him out, closing the door behind him. His brother was immediately surrounded by friends looking on in confusion at his shaking form, unable to form words.

Nobody but Kai knew about Geoff's vampire phobia.

He bit back a grin, when his brother stood up and threw him a look of loathing. Geoff's friends were urging him to tell them what was inside, and why he ran.

"I fucking hate you," Geoff said to him.

Kai ignored him, turning to the other men, "Meet at the pool hall in a half hour," he repeated, then ducked back into the conference room.

Escorting the women out of the lodge, paid for services that they hadn't performed, was the easiest part of the night. Geoff's weird reaction to them and the fact that an hour had gone by with no groom-to-be in sight and nobody else asking them to shed clothes, made for a group of antsy strippers. Kai picked out the two best looking from the group and pulled them aside, asking them to stick around. They first seemed doubtful, but after he reassured them that the rest of the men in their party was nothing like Geoff, as well as offering to double their rate just to play informal hostesses, they agreed.

When Luke came downstairs with keys in hand and a stack of clothes, one of the women balked.

"Take my word for it, babe," Luke said, smiling in his easygoing manner. "I'm not interested in having you undress in front of me. This is for when we get to the Dive. You might get cold in those clothes."

The other woman seemed to pick up on the gay vibe Luke was doing his best to send out. She smiled, reassured her friend, and presently, they all headed off.

Just a short ride away, the Dive appeared much more upscale than its name suggested. A steel and glass industrial-type facade housed a high ceilinged, open concept hall with several rows of billiards tables. Geometrically shaped chrome and black pendant lights hung over each table, and the long bar area at the end of the room was similarly styled. Along the walls, low seats and couches were arranged with abstract gray wall lights placed intermittently to complete the ambiance. Downtempo drifted from the speakers, not so loud to cause an earache but enough to keep the energy up. It wasn't packed, but there was a substantial amount of patrons inside that Luke warned their party to keep out of trouble.

The other men, no longer so disgruntled except maybe Geoff, were only too happy to obey, especially when the appointed female companions led them all inside. They played their roles well, securing several tables in a more private area, near the corner, and getting the wait staff to bring out menus and drinks for everyone quickly.

Kai saw Tyler and his best man at one of tables. "What do you know?" he muttered to himself, when he saw that among the other men there was Noah. He was partially tempted to join the group, but nixed the idea when he saw them all just goofing around. Maybe all it was, was each one recognizing the overgrown frat brother in the other. Or maybe Kai just couldn't bring himself to give a shit right at that moment, if something else was going on.

Always being on edge got old sometimes.

He sat alone in a dim section of the bar, observing the patrons. Mostly a mixed crowd, none of them signaling any problems. One of the strippers, Maria, had found her way to the bar also, and she was eyeing the bartender with sympathy because he kept fumbling the drinks orders. Kai watched as the woman eventually made her way behind the bar, after speaking with a man in a button down shirt and tie, whose face looked all manner of relieved to see her helping.

Moments later, she served Kai the drink he'd been waiting on. "Tequila neat, hon," she said, smiling. Then moved on to the next patron smoothly.

Kai was fairly sure that by the end of the night, she would have a new job.

On his fourth drink, Tyler's best man approached the bar and stood beside him, ordering two beers. Maria took his order with an appreciative smile on her face, her eyes clearly lingering on the blond's chest. The man was returning a similar look to Maria's own chest.

Bonnie sure had picked a winner.

Kai emptied his glass and indicated another, all the while trying to repress a snort. He debated the merits of having an actual discussion with the man. It wasn't a good idea.

"So," Kai said. "You and Bonnie, huh?" That wasn't the question he'd meant to ask.

"I'm sorry?" The blond man barely looked over, but Kai noted the sudden tension in his shoulders.

"I was talking about your girlfriend," Kai said, emphasizing the last two words for Maria's ears. Then he frowned, because such a move would cockblock the man and in the off-chance that the guy really was with Bonnie-which he didn't believe for a second-it was essentially ruining the man's chances of a fling with another woman. Ammunition which Kai could then use to destroy their relationship before the weekend was out.

 _The fuck is this shit going through my head?_

He signaled, and Maria brought a fifth glass that he downed in one gulp.

"What about Bonnie?" said the best man.

"She's fetching," Kai said to his glass.

"What was that?"

"Just thinking," he said, louder. "I'm trying to get to know Tyler's friends. How long have you guys known each other?"

"Grade school."

Kai tried to imagine Bonnie that young, betting she was one of those cheeky kids in pig-tails, climbing trees with the boys. He smiled at the thought.

The best man gave him a funny look.

Kai sat up, wiping the smile off his face. "I'm surprised Tyler didn't have more guests," he said nonchalantly. "My family admittedly was thrilled because, well, less mouths to feed, honestly, but I kind of thought-why does this guy have a guest list that I can count on one hand?" He narrowed his eyes at his drink. "Just strange, for someone that supposedly has lived in the same town his whole life."

He finished his drink, and ordered another. He could feel the other man's eyes on his collection of empty glasses. "Care to join?"

"No, that's all right," the blond said quickly. "I'm in the middle of a game."

Kai settled into his seat, waving a hand. "I won't keep you then."

Maria arrived with the two beers for the other man. Kai had a thought to ask him for his name again, but then dismissed it because what did it matter? He narrowed his gaze, filing away the long, slow smile exchanged between the two.

Bonnie was such a damn liar. It was that, or Kai would make time to kick the guy's ass for disrespecting her.

The steady flow of tequila morphed into glasses of Scotch. Kai kept his seat at the bar, enjoying the effects of his drinking, like his brain was slowly being squeezed, muffling all thoughts. He ordered calamari to offset the liquor, but only ate half the plate and offered the rest to Maria as she continued passing well-made drinks to the other customers.

Presently, just when his vision started doubling, she settled her elbows on the table, the earlier sympathetic look on her face that she'd worn with the bartender now directed his way. "You okay?"

"Sure."

"That guy has a girlfriend?"

Kai said nothing, but couldn't withhold the snort this time.

"You like her or somethin'?"

"No," he said. Then he leaned into Maria. "She's not his girlfriend," he slurred.

Her face became even more compassionate.

"Come on," she said, pulling his arm up and off the bar.

Kai let her lead him to a back room marked private. In the dark, he could make out a tidy office desk and a couch.

"You really made yourself at home here for such a short amount of time," he remarked.

She giggled, then pushed him onto the office chair. "Look, man, you're a nice guy. I just got a job here to tend the bar. I kinda owe you one cuz I wouldna been here if it wasn't for you."

So for the next five minutes, Kai was the lucky recipient of a thank-you lap dance. It was nice and yet not. Maria was obviously seasoned, but his energy level was low. Probably the reason why he couldn't get into it at first. At a certain point in the dark room, though, with the drink-induced haze in his brain, the woman on his lap morphed into someone else, with a heart-shaped face and steady green eyes. His body started responding then, his hands curving around her shoulders and caressing her hips. She moved in for a kiss.

That right there threw him off. When she was a breath away from his mouth, it hit him that her hair was too long and the wrong color. Kai drew back, the mood broken.

She was smart enough to know the dance had to finish quickly after that. He gave her an A for effort, but all he'd been able to manage was a distracted smile at the end, and his hands of their own accord had stubbornly stayed by his side. As they walked out, he caught Dex watching them, his brother's face full of envy and that 'aw shucks Kai got the girl again' expression of defeat.

Kai used his well-honed compliment sandwich. "You're gorgeous," he said to Maria, "but I think I'm a little buzzed, and some other lucky man deserves your attention."

Hopefully the best man.

He plopped back down onto an empty seat by the entrance. His head wobbled. There were ten spells he could recite off the tip of his tongue that would magically undo the effects of liquor. He didn't, though, because the dizziness was threaded with a little bit of pleasure, and he wanted to wallow in it.

Dex joined him shortly. Kai had eyes closed, but his brother's erratic magic was as familiar as an old pair of socks. When Dex didn't say anything for the first couple of seconds, Kai kept his eyes shut, as he said, "Didn't happen, bro."

"What're you-really? Because it looked like..."

Kai rolled his head sideways on the back of the couch, opening one eye. "Nothing happened. You...go for it. And if you strike out, tell the best man to try."

Dex looked at him like he'd grown an extra head, before he shot up from the couch and made a beeline for the bar.

A few minutes later, through the fog in his head, Kai felt himself tingling with awareness. It grew stronger, and he lifted his head from the couch to glance around. He didn't see Dex-he must have stepped into the lucky man role with Maria-but Luke was up, as well as Noah, and a small handful of other men who weren't outright drunk.

Luke nodded towards the door. Kai struggled to get to his feet, and follow his brother.

Two men and a woman sitting on Harleys stood casing the building.

Moving fluidly and with inhuman grace, they slid off their bikes and sauntered to the entrance.

"Just some friendly advice," Luke called out evenly. "I don't think you want to come in here."

"Why is that?" one of them called out.

"Because you're not welcome," Noah said, loathing in his voice. "This is Gemini territory."

The trio gave a collective shrug. "So?" asked the woman. "We're not here to cause trouble. We just want to shoot some balls." She bared sharp teeth at them in a menacing smile.

Kai puffed air out of his cheeks, wishing she hadn't done that. He also wished that he'd eaten more. The tequila and Scotch combo was doing a number on him.

One of Dex's friends, Zamari, stepped forward then. "If you know this is our territory, then you know you shouldn't have come. Your kind aren't welcome here."

One of the men cut the air with his hands. "Man, get the fuck outta our way before you get hurt."

And as one, the three strangers before them grew elongated fangs, while blood crept around the edge of their eyes, veins creeping out on the skin around.

"Hoooooo, boy," Kai said, chuckling.

"What's going on?"

Everyone turned. Tyler stood in front of the building, frowning. He looked unsteady on his feet but his eyes were focused on the three creatures in front. For a man whose mother had been killed by a vampire, he didn't seem too scared.

That changed quickly when the woman blurred to him, a hand wrapped around Tyler's neck. Before they could stop her, she drew her head back to expose her fangs, sinking it into the base of his throat.

Luke was the first one to lift a hand towards her. She dropped Tyler suddenly, a look of shock on her face as she grabbed at her own neck.

Luke eyed her coldly. "You picked the wrong place to play pool, lady."

She clawed at her neck as Luke's fist continued to clench, until the sound of her spine snapping rang out in the air.

By then her other two companions were tangling with Noah and Zamari. Kai stood leaning against the wall of the building, legs crossed at the ankles as he waited for Luke to finish the female vampire.

"You want I should look for a sharp piece of wood?" he offered.

"No," Luke said, his face looking conflicted.

"What is it then?"

"We can just hex them from being able to enter the grounds." Luke shrugged. "Is it really necessary to kill them?"

From the corner of his eye, Kai watched as Zamari was thrown against the wall and the vamp sped to him. With blood still dripping from his neck, Tyler rushed at the vamp in what looked like a football tackle. Kai was vaguely impressed, because it had been strong enough to knock the vamp several feet away.

Kai lurched towards Luke. "So you're saying you don't want to?" He nodded to Tyler. "She snacked on our future brother-in-law."

"Noted, and that was bad timing. But maybe they _were_ just looking for a place to hang for the night."

It was probably the liquor, but Kai became more confused. "I'm thinking," he finally said. "If they did a Google search for local billiards, they should've scrolled through more results."

They heard a telltale sound of a ribcage breaking, and turned to see Noah's hands held out like a claw, a brown, decayed heart in his hand. A few yards away, the vampire with the hole in his chest dropped on his face to the ground, an ugly sickening sound on the asphalt. Seconds later, the lone vampire standing tried to make a break for it, but Zamari quickly chanted and kept his open palm aimed on the vampire, who promptly burst into flames. Within seconds, he was nothing but ash.

"Well, Luke, there goes your idea," Kai slurred, then slapped his brother's shoulder.

As he headed back inside, he almost bumped into Tyler's best man, who was rushing toward the exit, his face worried. "Where's Tyler?"

"Oh, he's fine," Kai asked tipsily. "My coven took care of the bad guys for you. So you could make it back to Bonnie in one piece."

* * *

Dwelling on all the speed bumps she'd encountered in the past day kept Bonnie awake for an hour. After the hour passed, she pulled out a book for a distraction, trying to lose herself in it. When that didn't work, she tried meditation, willing serenity to come. Of course, her brain cooperated by replaying her last meeting with Kai.

The whole thing was a mess now, she could admit that to herself. Easily a hot mess, in fact. And one that she didn't need to share with her friends.

She paced her room in her pajama shorts and sleep tank, her thoughts stewing, plan after plan bubbling to the surface. There was at least the small comfort that Kai still didn't know she had magic, although that was now tempered with the fear that, despite being able to access it easily enough since it was in the necklace around her neck, another sneak attack by someone like Fiona left her vulnerable.

"Argh," she grumbled, flopping back on her bed.

It was all Kai's fault.

 _I hate that guy._

The telephone in her room rang. Bonnie looked at it in confusion, as it insistently continued to ring.

"Hello," she said into the receiver.

"Bonnie," came Liv's voice, sounding concerned. "I'm sorry, I know it's late-"

"Or early."

"It's Tyler, he got bit," Liv's voice cut off, as Bonnie heard another voice in the background, and Liv arguing with it. "She's not a doctor, no, but maybe she can help. _You_ can go. This is all your fault, Kai!"

Hearing this, Bonnie seethed. "Where are you?"

"Tyler's room."

"Be right there."

She pulled her first aid kit from her bag, then rushed out. When she got to Tyler's room and knocked, it wasn't Liv who opened the door but Kai. His eyes traveled over her slowly, before he wordlessly stepped aside to let her in.

"Where's Liv?" she asked.

"Went to get bandages from the concierge."

Tyler lay on the bed, his eyes closed, face a little pale. The puncture wounds on his neck had started drying out, a small trickle of caked up blood surrounding it.

She noticed just then that Kai also had blood stains marking his shoulder and chest. Moving over to him to get a closer look, she asked, "You, too?" with surprise.

"Tyler's," he said, stepping towards her. "But I'm touched that you care."

The goofy grin on his face matched his hazy eyes. It was impossible to miss that he reeked of alcohol.

 _Bunch of useless men._

She quickly dressed Tyler's wound with the bandages in her kit. When she felt for his pulse, it was steady and strong and her worrying eased. Turning back to Kai, she waited expectantly.

"We ran into vampires," he said, his words slow and slightly slurred. "The coven took care of them but he walked into it." Then he waved a hand, adding, "He'll be _fine_."

"Did you try a healing spell? The same one you did on me?"

He wrinkled his brows, blinking at her. "Huh. Good idea. You're so smart, Bonnie."

"Unbelievable," muttered Bonnie. When he stumbled over to Tyler's bed, ready to try her suggestion, she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Maybe we should let Liv do it instead."

He glanced down at her hand on his chest, a smile growing on his face. "Bon-"

"I have bandaids!"

Bonnie jumped three feet away from Kai, as Liv burst through the door. She waved her supplies wildly, rushing to Tyler, then pulled up short at the sight of the neat gauze and sterilized tape placed on the side of his throat. "Oh."

"I had a first aid kit in my bag," Bonnie said.

"Thank God someone's prepared," Liv replied. "Guess I can save the bandaids for next time."

Bonnie eyed the tiny strips doubtfully. "Sure...for like a papercut."

"I might have a scratch or two on me," Kai cut in, looking hopefully at Bonnie. "If you wanna play nurse..."

She was mid-eyeroll, ready with a retort, when a glance at Liv showed that her friend was eyeing them, confusion blended with a mild look of nausea on her face.

"I thought I told you to leave," Liv said to Kai. "Go take a shower or something, you stink. I'm getting drunk just breathing it in."

Without replying, he trekked unsteadily to the door. Bonnie caught him sneaking a whiff at himself, then look confused, as if he didn't know how it happened that he smelled like a bottle of tequila had been poured over his head.

"Next time, you're not in charge of the bachelor party!" Liv half-yelled, as he disappeared out of the room.

After that, it took only a few moments for Bonnie to unfetter her magic from the pendant and soon, she and Liv were standing over Tyler, hands linked as they performed a healing spell. But checking the wound showed that it hadn't closed over with scar tissue-there was no change at all.

"Why isn't it working?" Liv asked.

"Maybe it's the veil. Could be interfering with any other magic that gets used on him?" Bonnie opened Tyler's lids, noting that his pupils were reacting properly. When they had researched the spell, nothing had come up indicating that this would be one of the consequences, but magic was unpredictable. "Erratic results, like a healing spell that won't work the way it should?"

"Or doesn't work at all." Liv sighed. "Perfect."

Bonnie tilted one side of her mouth up in a part-grin, part-grimace. "I think he might also be wasted, Liv. He doesn't smell much better than your brother."

"I know a tea brew that might help. If we can get him awake, maybe we can try the healing spell again." Liv glared in anger at the prone figure. "And even if it still doesn't work, I'll feel better having him awake for me to yell at."

Minutes later, Liv was gathering a few herbs together to make Tyler's anti-hangover concoction. She had a small tote with a mess of unlabeled herbs in Ziploc bags. Liv mumbled a curse under her breath as she continued to pick through it.

"What's wrong?"

"Missing Panax ginseng." She cast a hopeful glance at Bonnie. "You wouldn't happen to have brought any?"

"I have honey and mint leaves, but not that."

Face falling, Liv chewed on her lip before her face brightened. She dialed a number from the hotel telephone, then cursed again when the other line didn't pick up. "The idiot probably passed out," she mumbled to herself.

"Who?"

"Kai."

Bonnie arched her brows. "You think he has Panax ginseng?"

Liv nodded. "He's kind of anal retentive about being prepared." She paused. "Not unlike you, actually."

Bonnie watched her friend look to Tyler, then to her, and could almost hear her thoughts. She started shaking her head. "Uh-uh," she said. "I'm _not_ going to Kai right now for that herb."

Liv nodded, her face back on Tyler. "Okay. I just hate to leave him again. But I understand."

Bonnie sighed at her friend's intense look of concern. She was really going to regret this. "What's the room number?"

"You're the freaking best, Bonnie." Liv sobered suddenly, though, throwing her a strange look. "Hey, um, don't get weirded out, but I think my brother likes you. He might get fresh. Don't let him."

Bonnie kept her own face relaxed, as she scoffed. "I would never."

"What happened to your valley girl act, anyway?" Liv asked.

Bonnie shifted uncomfortably. "I couldn't keep it up," she muttered. "Turns out, acting isn't my thing."

"Hey, don't worry about it, I never expected you to keep going. My siblings will just think you were babbling from nerves." Liv shrugged. "As long as Kai leaves you alone is the important thing."

Bonnie pursed her lips, staying silent.

"Maybe I should just go," Liv said, uncertainly.

"Hey, don't worry, it's no big deal," Bonnie reassured her. "I can handle him."

She willed herself to believe her own hype, as she murmured the spell to put her magic away into her necklace again, before heading out to Kai's room.

Several interminable minutes later, which she tried to extend for as long as possible by walking incredibly slow, Bonnie stood in front of a door at the end of the hall on the top floor. She stared at it in consternation, running through the possibility of using magic to cloak herself, break the lock, and rifle through his things to pull the herb. Such a reckless idea belonged to a person who wasn't sane. He would sense someone immediately, zap her with a counter spell, and in turn she would have to hurt him, and vice versa again. All up in flames, this whole thing.

All so she could avoid what she was sure would only need to be a two minute conversation.

She could do this.

She knocked on the door. It hadn't been closed flush, and on the third knock pushed open, revealing a gap through which she glimpsed a dark room, the only light coming from a half-open bathroom. She heard the shower running as she poked her head through the gap.

"Hello?" she called loudly. "Kai, it's me, Bonnie!"

The shower shut off. She stepped in, standing just inside the door, allowing it to stay ajar.

"I knocked, but you left your door open!"

She heard him step out and the sound of rustling. He must have been toweling off. She suddenly froze, imagining him naked, droplets of water running from his hair down to his jaws, and shoulders, and chest...clenching her eyes shut, she pressed a hand against them.

"Gah!" she whispered to herself. _Stop stop stop_...

"Are you all right?" came the slurred drawl.

When she opened them, she found Kai standing in a pair of sweatpants and no shirt, a towel slung over one shoulder. His hair spiked on its ends, with no droplets that she could see. She didn't for a single moment look to check if his chest was dried off.

Nope. She wasn't looking.

"Yeah," she said quickly, her eyes focusing on everywhere but him. "Liv needed an herb, she said you stock up on those?"

He didn't answer, as he rubbed the towel over his hair once more.

"Tyler looks sloshed and she wanted to try to revive him with some kind of tea concoction."

Hanging the towel over a chair, he made his way to the bed and sat facing her.

"She tried to call you first, but I guess you didn't hear it."

Still he said nothing, but merely leaned his elbows on his knees, and continued to stare.

She glanced at the bed, noting its king size mattress. "Your bed's a lot bigger than mine," she said jokingly, then dug her nails into her palms for her stupidity.

Bonnie bit her tongue to keep from making more asinine comments. Maybe the less she spoke, the more quickly he would act to get the ginseng root and let her along her merry way. But he remained where he was, and a long silence followed where they each considered the other, neither of them moving or glancing away.

 _Who knows what is going through his head.._.

Caroline's voice echoed in Bonnie's mind, causing a rattle to develop in her chest and work its way to her belly.

"So, this is weird," she said finally. "I'm just gonna go. Liv can use a substitute."

She turned, grabbing for the handle, but before she could even open it, he was right there next to her, slamming the door shut. Her eyes fell on his large hand splayed against the door, and she couldn't stop her gaze from running along the tension in his forearm, and his biceps, then finally his shoulder. In the dim light, all she could make out on his face were the lines of his nose and mouth, and his eyes roaming over her own features. She tried to school them into neutrality, to show him his nearness didn't mean anything.

Her bare shoulder was flush against his chest. She felt the muscles there flexing against her skin, when he dropped his arm. But he didn't step away.

"What herb?" he asked, his lilting tone unusually low.

"Panax ginseng."

He made no move to get it, as they continued standing so close to each other, they were practically sharing the same breath. Bonnie couldn't pull her eyes from his or work up the energy to step away.

"I'm tanked myself," he said randomly.

"No kidding," she said softly. But he no longer smelled so. Her nostrils flared slightly, taking in his inviting, fresh soap scent. "You smell a lot better."

"Thank you."

His hand came up to play with a strand of her hair that fell on her cheek. as she finally glanced directly towards his chest, at the wall of smooth, firm skin speckled with a dusting of hair, and the ridge of muscles on his abdomen. In a distant part of her mind, where a normal hormonal female dwelled and rarely was ever allowed to play, Bonnie acknowledged that while Jeremy's torso had seemed more polished to buff perfection, she preferred the swimmer's physique of the man who stood before her now.

At the thought, Bonnie looked at Kai in horror, only to find him biting his lip, face gleaming with amusement and something else. Quite possibly, he was reading her mind. Bonnie tore herself away then, walking to the complete opposite side of the room by the window ledge.

"Uh, the ginseng root?" she reminded him.

He gave her a lazy smile, as he stumble stalked towards her.

She frowned. "Kai..."

But he was stopping by the closet, pulling a small duffel out that he deposited carefully on the table beside her. She turned and watched him open it, more than a little impressed when she found a black plastic partition within the duffel. It separated the different containers and cases into evenly divided sections. All of them labeled, nothing upturned or out of place.

Bonnie felt her stomach go light.

He _was_ organized. It was wrong that this was the first thing since meeting him that made her mouth go completely dry. A manic giggle escaped her mouth, which she tried to hide with a cough, that promptly turned into a small choke.

He arched a brow.

She cleared her throat. "Nice set up," she said. "Might want to share some tips with Liv."

His hand moved unerringly to one container labeled 'Panax ginseng.' Then he opened one of the outer pockets and slid a Ziploc bag out, which he gave to Bonnie.

"Anything else you need?"

 _No, that didn't sound suggestive at all._

"Mint leaves and a little honey?" she said, all business-like, figuring since she was here anyway, might as well go for broke, because who knew what else Liv might be missing and Bonnie didn't want to walk back to her own room to look through her supply.

He slid closer, moving partially around her, his arm reaching again into the duffel. It was clearly a calculated move, made so that she was now standing between his body and the table, his bare skin warm against her back. He rummaged through the bag, his arms sliding against hers slowly, the contact tickling her skin. He pulled out another container.

Bonnie tried to remember to breathe normal.

"Open up," he said, his low voice a caress in her ear.

"What?" she asked, her own coming out almost in a whisper.

"The bag."

Fumbling with the Ziploc, she did as he asked, holding the open bag in her hands while she waited for him to fill it with the ingredients. Her arms trapped between his, their skin warming each other, he dropped small amounts of the two herbs to mix inside the bag. Her lips parted in a silent gasp as his fingers brushed hers lightly, repeatedly.

"You smell nice, too," he said, his face pressing into the back of her hair.

Bonnie tried to hide her swallow, but ended up choking a little.

"You keep doing that," he said. His low rumble of laughter vibrated against her back when he leaned towards her, the tip of his nose brushing along the dip between her neck and shoulder.

A haze blanketed her mind when his lips grazed her bare shoulder. Blinking rapidly, trying to clear it, she stilled his fingers with hers. "I think that's enough," she said.

She pulled the bag away, zipping it closed with clumsy fingers, biding her time until she could think clearly.

"What about the honey?" His hands now gripped the table on either side of her, the effort turning his knuckles white. She could feel his chest firmly against her now, his bare skin touching the parts of hers not covered by her tank.

 _Bad idea bad idea_.

She turned around slowly, their bodies sliding together in the process. It had been a while for her, being held like this. That was the only reason this felt so obscenely good. She didn't dare look into his face, as their torsos rubbed against each other, the thin fabric of her tank a flimsy barrier between them. He shifted even closer, his arm moving around her again.

He placed a small vial filled with amber into the palm of her hand, rubbing circles along the inner skin of her wrist. Mistakenly, she glanced up.

His eyes were no longer hazy from liquor, but lucid and bright with need.

She put her hand on his chest, letting her fingers rest on his skin.

"Bonnie," he said jaggedly.

"Thanks," she whispered.

And pushed him gently away, and left.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Know what, you guys, I gave Kai an extra sibling. I thought there were 8 Parker kids, but it's actually 7? Oh, well. The more the merrier. As always, thanks for the reviews, they are my fuel, especially in these sad times. :( :)

 **Disclaimer** (cuz it's been a while): Plot is mine, characters aren't.

 ** _CHAPTER NINE_**

Kai awoke the next day well after the sun had risen, leaving for Portland quickly.

His father was still asleep when Kai entered his apartment to prepare breakfast. He shook the older man awake and spent fifteen minutes going through the routine of groggy grumblings, warnings, and forebodings. Then another ten minutes giving the latest on the wedding and the coven, choosing the bits and pieces that he knew his father needed to hear, leaving out everything else that could set the old man off. In the end, nothing convinced him.

"Bad omens everywhere," his father insisted, as Kai set the cup of coffee before him.

He watched with a casual eye as the other man finished his breakfast, then took a sip of coffee. It didn't take long for him to drain the cup empty, and when Kai cleared the island of dishes, he noted with relief that not even a drop remained in the mug.

His father would soon be drifting back into the kind of sleep that lasted at least a day. Hopefully. According to the drug book, Kai had given him enough dose of sedatives that he probably wouldn't wake until lunch tomorrow.

Luke, Jo, and the other elders in the coven who were promoting a peaceful ceremony had been on his back all week to ensure that Joshua wouldn't be a problem. All of their ideas had revolved around various sleeping spells, but Kai hadn't bothered to use any of them. Layers and layers of defensive spells cloaked the older man, and trying to unlock them would not only have cost time and effort, but also put his father on guard. The sedatives were the best choice. What side effects there were could easily be magicked away the following day, when it would be too late for Joshua Parker to crash the wedding.

"Good morning," he muttered an hour later to no one in particular, as he walked into one of the conference rooms at the lodge. It resembled a bridal magazine war-room, rows of floral arrangements, table tops, and linens meeting his every step, while his siblings, a few elders, the wedding coordinator, and various assistants hurried around. Lazily, he approached the table where Jo, Luke, and Liv sat huddled together. He threw a small envelope before them, and they finally looked up.

"Where have you been all morning?" asked Jo, not looking up from the notepad she was writing on.

"Uh, sleeping in. Am I not allowed? It's not my wedding, after all."

He felt on edge today. And hated himself a little, because sex was one hell of an outlet usually, but in turning the stripper down last night, he had missed out on relieving himself of some of the stress he was taking in.

Especially since it turned out he would be teased to within an inch of his life later on that same night, by the woman that he was pretty sure was becoming an unhealthy obsession of his. Skin prickling exactly where Bonnie had put her fingers on his chest the night before, his mind returned to their encounter...

 _He stepped out of the bathroom to find Bonnie just inside the door, showing so much bare skin, he really thought in his drunken state of mind, that he'd fallen asleep in the shower and into a wet dream. He had to indulge in a mental break for a whole minute there, letting her babble while he sat on the bed and took in the glorious vision before him._

 _Then it sank in, her ridiculous reason for stopping by that made him realize it was no dream..._

 _"You smell a lot better," she said. He didn't missed the way she leaned in to get close enough to sniff him._

 _Her own scent invaded his mind, sweet and sinful and reminding him that this woman whose body he'd imagined biting and licking and kissing and writhing under his just minutes before, when he'd been in the shower-now stood just inches away, in skimpy pajamas that he could disintegrate into ashes at a moment's whim. She could be naked in a few short seconds, putty in his hands. He was fairly sure he would be the same, in hers..._

 _"I think that's enough." Her voice was definitely shaky, and he was so fucking glad to hear it._

 _It would have killed him if she could still play it cool while his control was in shreds, one single thread away from using his teeth to tear that damn top off her shoulder. Watching her clumsy fingers closing the bag gave him a moment's sanity, and he gripped the table to keep both hands from roaming again. But he let his eyes rake over every inch of the slope of her back, the curve of her waist, her hips that flared out so damn provocatively, her golden skin, so much of it just calling out for him to explore, and-oh, Jesus-her ass. Her ass that was centimeters away from rubbing against his jutting, eager erection. His fingers gripped harder on the table, until he swore he felt the edges bend..._

 _"Bonnie." He tried not to, he really did, but his voice sounded desperate to his own ears and he really didn't give a fuck. He was fully gone now, after she'd turned the tables on him and slid herself around in his arms in the sweetest torture he'd ever experienced. She knew exactly what it would do to him. Her breasts flush against his chest, he felt her nipples, stiff and taunting. Her hand was hot on his chest, and her eyes mirrored what he was drowning in himself-want._

 _They both_ _ **needed**_ _this. No one could be so incredibly stubborn and self-sacrificing to turn it down. She had no reason to._

 _"Thanks."_

 _He turned his back as she walked away._

In hindsight, Kai realized that in jumping at the chance to test Bonnie, to see if she was really as indifferent to him as she liked to make him think-he'd only succeeded in frustrating himself beyond all reason. After she left, he'd had to take another cold shower. And this morning, a third.

He couldn't remember a time when mixing herbs left him feeling so fucking bereft.

It was annoying, actually. He'd gone to sleep annoyed, and woke up the same, and he was festering in it now. Really and thoroughly.

"What is this?" Liv asked, breaking into his thoughts. She held the envelope in her hands.

"Your own wedding invitation," he said. "Why don't you know this?"

"Is this a joke?" Liv said, scanning the paper and then holding it out towards the other two.

"Joshua Parker regrets that he is unable to accept the kind invitation to attend the wedding of Olivia Jane Parker and Tyler Evan Lockwood," read Luke. He and Jo shared a smile, as Liv continued to have a small freak out.

"What did you do?" Luke asked him, in a wheedling voice.

Kai shrugged. "Dear old dad is catching up on much-needed sleep after all."

Jo clapped her hands. "I knew it! A sleeping spell."

"No." Kai glanced around, then stood when he realized there was no food to be found in the room. "I'll let you figure it out. But just know we don't have to worry about him for," he looked at his watch, "oh, twenty-nine hours, give or take."

He left them to their perplexed glances.

* * *

While most of the other guests were trailing out of their rooms and into the dining area for breakfast, Bonnie, Matt, and Tyler made use of the sparse crowd outside to strategize.

The protection ward that surrounded the area extended half a mile past the edge of the actual estate, so they trekked all the way out to different areas of the grounds to pinpoint convenient emergency exits if needed. During yesterday's time hiking the trails, Bonnie had noted that on the north and west sides ran narrow paths that led to the main roads. Caroline would standby at one exit and park a rental car unobtrusively at the other, and they would all meet at the hotel where she was staying. This was their contingency plan, if they absolutely had to leave the reception separately.

Plan A, if things went off without a hitch, was for Bonnie and Matt to continue to dawdle among the other guests just long enough to see Liv and Tyler off in their honeymoon car, then leave themselves shortly after, driving right out of the front gates.

"Here's the perimeter of the ward," Bonnie said, circling neatly on the atlas. She held it up for the others, then took a pic of it to send quickly to Caroline, who was listening and watching by video chat from Matt's phone. "Care, you can park the getaway car as close as you can, but don't get past the boundary."

"Can't you poke a hole in it or something?" Matt asked.

Bonnie bit her lip in thought. "I'll see. I don't want to risk breaking it, because Kai might sense there's a breach. But I could try slipping in a kind of pocket door maybe..." she trailed off, mentally running through the grimoires she'd brought along.

"What's the worst that can happen if I end up in the ward?" Caroline asked.

Bonnie lifted her shoulders uncertainly. "Maybe if you approach it not actively thinking to hurt anyone on the grounds? You might be okay. But you're a vampire, and this is a Gemini spell. Let's not take chances. I'll keep you posted what I can do with a door."

While Caroline worried, Bonnie caught Matt's confused look. She followed his gaze to where Tyler was pacing near the woods restlessly.

"You okay, Ty?" Matt called.

He came bounding up, his face excited. "Yeah," he said. "Just wanting to get it over with. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now."

"Try to stay out of trouble until the ceremony," Bonnie said.

"I have been. Last night was an accident. Who figured vampires would show up?" He frowned. "Although if you ask me, the Gemini coven might have been trigger happy there."

"Hello, Tyler, that's kinda their MO," Caroline reminded. "Shoot first, ask no questions when it comes to creatures like me and you."

"Have you forgotten, man?" Matt asked. "Someone's getting comfortable with his new family."

"How's your bite?" asked Bonnie.

"Okay." Tyler lifted the bandage and Bonnie stood for a quick look at the wound. What she saw there made her blink in amazement.

"Okay? Are you kidding? It's almost completely healed."

"What?" Tyler felt the skin on his neck. "It was still a little raw when I woke up. That's weird."

"Liv and I tried a healing spell on you last night." Bonnie's mind ran through the scenarios of why it was only now starting to kick in. "But it didn't look like it worked."

"I guess it is now." He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "I don't usually heal this fast unless it's a full moon, so it must be your spell."

Bonnie nodded, lips still pursed in thought. "Where is Liv?" she asked.

Tyler shrugged again. "I haven't seen her since early this morning. Probably freaking out in one of the conference rooms with her family. Or eating."

"Speaking of, we missed breakfast," Matt said, and there was no hiding the grumpiness in his tone. "Anyone else starving after all this strategizing?"

"Actually, I'm going out for a run, not that hungry," said Tyler.

"I could eat," Bonnie said, thinking of yesterday morning's cannolis.

"And I guess while you two enjoy your deluxe resort catered breakfast," Caroline said, her voice cheerful on the phone. "I will go raid my mini fridge for a blood bag."

* * *

The dining room was quiet when Kai entered. He had missed the formal breakfast, but the buffet options were still plenty and fresh. After serving himself a plate of buttered croissants, grape currant, and a ham and cheese omelette, he turned to scope out where he could sit. And immediately spied two familiar heads in a far corner of the room.

Bonnie. And with her, he noted with a sudden feeling of derision, her _boyfriend_.

He really itched to call her out on that particular bullshit. Now was as good a time as any, but he made himself slow down, and take a seat far enough away that she couldn't accuse him of eavesdropping. Instead, he sat where he could covertly observe them. It didn't appear that they'd noticed him anyway, so involved were they in whatever it was they were discussing.

For fun and to kill time, he replayed his own version of their conversation in his head.

 _My lying liar ass got caught up in lies_ -Bonnie.

 _Oh, no, that's bad_ -Dumb-as-bricks best man, whatever his name was.

 _We need to be careful, Kai doesn't believe we're together_ -Bonnie again.

 _How come?_

 _Because he and I came thisclose to fucking each other's brains out last night._

 _Oh, well. Who can blame you?_

Kai frowned and stopped chewing on his eggs for a second. Their pretend conversation wasn't really going the way he wanted it to.

He looked away from their table when the best man stood, said something to Bonnie, and then walked directly out of the room. Kai's mood soared. A few seconds later, she stood, too, and he had to scramble mentally, trying to think of a reason to follow her.

But then she headed to the beverage table, still apparently unaware of his presence.

Realizing he hadn't grabbed a drink for himself, Kai nonchalantly made his way to where the coffee machines were.

"I don't really appreciate you stalking me," said Bonnie, without turning her attention away from the fresh juice mixers.

They stood at opposite ends of the beverage table, their backs semi-turned away from each other.

He snorted to himself, keeping his attention on the steaming mug he was making. "How do I know it wasn't you that followed me here? You're the expert in deceit, after all. You could be here trying to figure out my morning pattern." He added sugar and cream, then made his way back to his table without looking at her.

He felt her eyes on him as he sat with his back to her, could sense the hole she was trying to burn into his back. He wasn't surprised when she walked by and dropped into the seat across from him. She had made her own cup of coffee, and it made him pause as he eyed it.

"I hope you made that cup to drink," he said warily, "and not throw in my face."

A corner of her mouth dipped into a half-smirk. "Let's be real. If I did finally give into the strong urge to throw things at you? It's not like you couldn't protect yourself."

"True," he said, smiling cockily, then registering surprise when she returned it. As he stared, his brain offered up images of her in his room again, and he suspected the direction of his thoughts showed on his face, because Bonnie started blushing. "Nice jammies, by the way," he said in a mild tone.

Lucky thing for her that her skin was such a lovely shade of caramel, because on a paler woman, her cheeks would have been an unbecoming beet-red. On Bonnie, it put the faintest rosy glow on her face that he couldn't stop staring at. The truth was he'd seen his share of beautiful women, but Bonnie's brand of pretty he couldn't shake. Hers was bone-deep.

She broke eye contact as she cupped the steaming hot mug in her hands.

"Careful," he warned, surprised the heat of the cup didn't seem to bother her. "Don't want to burn yourself."

She looked down. "Oh, right," she muttered, peeking quickly back up at him through her lashes. She took a small breath. "So, Matt told me about the adventures in baby-sitting that you had last night. Outside of the run-in with the vampires, you got the boys to behave. I'm a little impressed that you guys actually listened to Liv."

He shrugged, hiding his relief that her fake boyfriend had honored the guy code and not spilled about the two strippers they had allowed as an exception. Kai appreciated that and made a mental vow to remember that the best man was named Matt.

"Can't have the bride being arrested for mass murder the day of her wedding, right?" he joked.

"I don't know, maybe she would've let you guys off with just maiming and dismemberment."

"Unlikely. Have you met Liv?"

"Don't underestimate the power of this thing called fair play." She speared him with a look. "And don't try to tell me that you got rid of all the strippers." She twirled her mug around. "Matt didn't have to say anything. I could totally see it in his eyes." She shrugged. "But don't worry, Liv doesn't know."

"Do I need to ask you to make a blood oath that she'll never find out?" Then his brow wrinkled. "And what do you mean by fair play?"

Glancing up at him through her lashes, she gave a slow, secretive smile. "I mean, I'm not naming names. But we had a big window of time between the end of paintball and when you guys came back. Who's to say that last night when some of the girls slept off the booze and bruises, a smaller group of us didn't get together and surprise Liv with her own group of male strippers? And who's to say, she didn't get arrested after all?"

He felt his mouth go slack as he blinked. Then he chuckled. "Good one," he said, willing himself not to believe her.

Her face was incredibly smug, as she winked at him.

Kai felt his own face burn. Was he angry or turned on? He couldn't be sure. He imagined Bonnie gyrating in a dark room, her body grinding against other men's semi-nakedness. Some other men. As in, multiple.

Yeah, no, he was pissed.

"You know," he said tightly. "I'd say that's a little bit hypocritical."

She continued sipping her coffee. "Your face is hilarious right now. You look like a tomato."

He glared down at his half-eaten plate. The eggs had gone cold, but they were there, and he hated to waste anything. Food always made him feel better anyway. He stabbed at it with his fork, chewing methodically as he stared at Bonnie, wishing with the strength of a thousand suns that he'd taken up what's-her-face's offer from last night.

Bonnie continued drinking her coffee calmly, and damn if it didn't make his blood boil more, as he wondered what else she'd gotten up to the night before. At some point last night at the pool hall, he'd entertained the thought of sneaking out to return to the lodge, and check in on her and maybe share a nightcap. What if he had turned up at her door, and heard the obvious sounds of fucking behind it? Bonnie's moans, and some random male stripper's grunts-

He squeezed his eyes, pounding the side of his head forcefully. When he reopened his eyes, she was peering at him in perplexion. "Are you okay?"

"Just a brain freeze," he said lightly.

"From hot coffee?"

He made no answer, concentrating on his plate. It was only after he'd finished the eggs, and Bonnie her coffee, that he shook himself out of the mood he was in. What the hell was wrong with him? Here he was, having breakfast with her, somewhat peacefully. In truth, it was kind of nice.

And no one else around to bother either of them.

He sat back, then nodded to where the dessert table waited. She followed his glance, then shook her head. "I already had some," she said firmly. "No more, or else I won't be able to fit my dress."

"Come on, haven't you wanted to try all the other cannoli flavors?"

"I just watched you inhale a hefty breakfast...how do you even have room?" she asked wonderingly.

"What can I say? I have an insatiable appetite." He waggled an eyebrow, then waved her up with a hand as he turned. "Now come on."

She gave in fairly quickly, and then stood for long moments before all the pastries. Kai laughed at the expression on her face, like she was mentally castigating herself even while her eyes lingered on every treat. He quickly heaped his plate, then waited patiently for her to hem and haw over everything. Eventually, she chose a single peanut butter danish.

"I've been meaning to ask, are all your weddings like this in your family?" she asked, around a mouthful of danish.

"Pretty much. I see what you're thinking...big family. It does get expensive." He shrugged. "One of the benefits of being a witch, we tend to do well in whatever careers we choose." He smiled. "And those who don't do well, magick themselves a fortune. Although that can come with pitfalls. We don't do much of that in our coven."

Many of the younger coven members held traditional jobs across all sectors, although just as many of the elders including his parents never had. They had never needed to. The Gemini coven was well-funded, most of the families within it stable, because of their reputation for getting things done. When people sought their services, it came with a hefty price tag. It was how the Parker line had amassed their wealth quietly over generations, after rising to prominence within the coven.

"Luckily my siblings get married few and far between. And so far, no divorces, thank goodness. Guess we're doing something right, huh?"

"Liv told me about the spell you guys use to bring good fortune to the unions. That must go a long way with conjugal peace." She suddenly had a thought. "Feels like cheating, though."

"I prefer to think of it as lending a helping hand. And really, that's kind of the point of witchcraft."

Her face looked amused. "Is it?"

"One of the advantages of being an old coven," he explained. "Everyone at some point in their lives really wishes they had a magic lamp to rub. Someone goes digging and finds out that there's a group of people who so happen to play genie pretty well, for someone willing to pay-well, it kind of works out for all parties, no?"

Her eyes squinted in thought. "Doesn't all magic come with a price? You put a warning label on those services?"

She really could hold her own, for all that she wasn't a witch, and while he appreciated her surprising insight, that old glimmer of suspicion couldn't help but rear its head again. He squashed it ruthlessly, not wanting to spoil the moment. "Full disclosure is part of the contract. And most of the clients not only follow through anyway, but come back for repeat business."

She appeared to be contemplating this. "Some of the witches I knew," she began. "They worked regular jobs, tried to blend in with normal people as much as possible. And the side work they offered involved using magic for missing persons cases, things like that. Nothing on the level of helping someone with personal gain the way your coven works."

"Doesn't come across as having much ambition," he said honestly. "A coven would never be able to grow from that."

"Maybe not all witches need covens. And some would call it just living humbly."

He shrugged. "There's a difference between living humbly and not taking advantage of all the natural talents that someone's been given."

"Sounds like a PC way of saying that your coven rigs the odds in their favor."

He studied her face, intrigued by her remark but also a little defensiveness creeping up. Her point hit a little too close to home. It wasn't unheard of, in Gemini history as well as in few of the other larger, ancient covens, that a tiny handful of elders tried their hand in risky investments on Wall Street that had paid off with a heavy dose of a magical boost. It was a fallback method for a tiny percentage of witches, a way to get themselves back on track financially. Not everyone had the ability to manage such tricky spells, but among a few of those groomed for leadership, the ones who displayed a talent for learning fortune spells were taught from a young age at the same time that they learned cloaking spells. The benefits of such a spell trickled down to all members of the coven, allowing them to pursue and hone their witchcraft in leisure.

Kai himself had learned it, but hadn't needed to use it. But he didn't see the reason behind why Bonnie brought a judgmental mindset to such matters. He shrugged it off as an outsider's perspective.

"At the risk of being obvious?" he said. "Life is tedious, Bonnie. For a lot of people. But if someone is more than the usual run-of-the-mill 'float a pencil' witch? It doesn't need to be. All of those basic needs that people have to plug away 9-to-5 for, just to skate by...we can skip it."

"So you're saying, because you're a powerful witch, you're entitled to bypass the first step of Maslow's hierarchy, where I have to be, because I'm human." She narrowed her eyes. "Here's me, waiting for my next paycheck so I can afford my groceries-and there's you, sitting in your penthouse cooking up your next best trick in your gold cauldron."

He laughed despite himself at the mental image. "A little exaggerated," he said, a wave of giddiness rising because he really enjoyed her debating skills. "But yeah, you get the point. Some of the more talented witches spend their entire lives focusing on improving their practice. Why not? You can't tell me that's not a better use of time."

She didn't look convinced. "I just see a big disconnect with that kind of thinking. Easy way for a group of people to get awfully full of themselves. How do you Geminis even bear just walking among us lowly mortals?"

He tried to find the right words, because it was important to him that she didn't misunderstand. "My grandfather, he once said that being in a coven meant building power that could be channeled properly, for the good of the community. He approached it like a business model."

She eyed him in silence.

"That probably doesn't make sense to you," he said, feeling awkward because he realized he had shared too much.

"No, I get it. Sounds like he was a benevolent CEO."

"Not always benevolent, downright scary when he wanted to be." His smile was rueful, when he added, "Like when he tried to force me to get my MBA."

"You had time to do that?" she asked, surprised. "With all your coven duties?"

He fought the urge to share more about his upbringing, because it was too soon and she would balk. "I had a lot of time when I was younger," he replied casually. "Before I took on my duties."

Her eyes were scrutinizing.

"If your grandfather was so progressive, why is your coven..." she paused, looking unsure. "...not? That play the kids put on about merging. Isn't that basically human sacrifice? And Liv said that the Geminis hate every other supernatural creature."

"Our merge ceremony is one of the practices in my family that's been passed down over the course of hundreds of years. Yeah, it's not ideal, but it's what we do." He tilted his head, frowning. "And I don't know about you, but our ancestors hunting down vampires and werewolves who decimated villages? Strikes me as one of their better ideas. If we continue to take them out where and when we can, I say job well done."

He saw the wariness in her face, heard the tension in his own voice, and wondered where the conversation had gone south.

"The 'us against them' mentality only works if everyone on the other side really is evil," she said quietly.

They studied each other in silence for a few moments. Her face was hard to read now, and he couldn't understand what she was trying to glean from him.

"We can't run ourselves like the justice system, Bonnie. That's not how we work. We wouldn't have survived this long if we gave every single one of those creatures the benefit of a fair trial. Most times, they're guilty." He stopped, laughing in frustration and a little amazement. "I can't believe it, but I had this same argument with my grandfather."

She lifted her brows questioningly.

"Like you, he thought the coven's approach to other supernaturals was medieval. Unlike you, he actually had the means to do something about it." He stopped, biting his lip. "Until he got sick." He shrugged. "Then my dad and the other elders took over. And things stayed medieval. Possibly entered the dark ages, even."

After a few seconds, she said in a soft voice, "You were really close to your grandfather."

That was an understatement. After hitting rock bottom and trying to trying to kill the guy, there had been no other direction for their relationship to go but up. He had been the one family member who had seen up close the emptiness inside Kai, and still stuck around to get to know him. Even his own mother hadn't known what the hell to do with him. Up until her death, her only contribution had consisted of smuggling him out of his father's toxic influence, and dumping Kai with an old man who was trying to fade away from the world in tranquility.

But Theodore Parker had been wiley, above everything. In hindsight, Kai suspected that his grandfather had looked at him as a last minute challenge to tackle in life, a way to keep the Fates at bay a little while longer.

Kai nodded in reply, not bothering with words, turning his face away from her even though her own eyes were alight with sympathy, understanding in their depths.

What would the old man have thought of Bonnie?

 _Don't get suckered in by a pretty face_ , had been one of his grandfather's lessons. _Always go with your gut,_ had been another.

Having met the real Bonnie now, his gut told him she was rather like an extraordinary onion, whose inner layers he would thoroughly relish peeling off, slowly. He had never been so challenged. He gazed at her face as she continued eating her pastry, and had to swallow discreetly a few times when her tongue darted out to catch peanut butter sticking to her lips.

When she finished, and started stealing glances at the leftover caramel drizzled cannoli on his plate, he held back another grin. "I can feel all that hard longing," he teased.

"What?" she said, her eyes flying up to his guiltily as her cheeks once again took on a slightly rosy hue.

"My cannoli?" He pushed his plate out towards her. "Go ahead."

She hesitated, before smiling widely and reaching out with her fork.

A few short minutes later, he was laughing at her because the cannoli had vanished pretty quickly, and all that was left was a little smudge of caramel on the corner of one cheek. "Got some on you," he said, indicating with a hand on his own cheek.

She dabbed at the wrong cheek. Of course. He really didn't want to have to touch her right now. Because he so desperately needed to.

He rolled his eyes at his inner struggle. You're a big boy, he told himself, as he leaned across and ever so casually, used the tip of his finger to rub the smudge off her face.

 _Soft so incredibly damn soft_...

His finger rested for a beat too long on her skin, as they stared at each other.

She pushed away abruptly. "Thanks," she said awkwardly.

He cleared his throat. "Sure," he said, straightening.

They both spent a couple seconds fiddling with their plates and mugs, before she suddenly stood up.

"I think I'm on ironing duty, or something," she mumbled, not meeting his gaze. "I should go."

"I could whip up an anti-wrinkle spell," he offered, one half of his mouth quirked up as he looked up at her questioningly.

She laughed then, sweetly and heartily, and it was the first time he'd heard her do so and he hoped to God it wouldn't be the last.

"Somehow, Kai Parker, I don't think I could afford you."

"For you, I might consider going pro bono." He leaned in, whispering conspiratorially, "One time exception."

She bit her lip, taming a smile, then walked off. He watched her, biting down on the grin forming on his face. Progress, there.

Draining the last few drops of his own coffee, he stood to leave and in doing so, caught in his peripheral vision a sudden movement in the corner of the room.

He turned quickly, but nobody was there. He was alone in the dining room. A moment ago, though, he knew with certainty that hadn't been the case.

Someone had been watching.

* * *

 **More A/N:** I should probably warn you that my knowledge of TVD history isn't up to snuff. I fell out for a few seasons there. And will again, starting next - no Kai, and Bonnie as the asexual BFF to asshole Damon? Whom I hate and fully blame for the needless death of Kai? No thanks, TVD. Bad on you. And I used to ship Bamon, many moons ago. What the hell was I thinking, right?


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** I know I said it before, but a HUGE thanks for reviewing. If you spent the time to make a comment, I'm going to spend the time to read them. So yes, in reply to the guest reviewer who wondered if I look at reviews-most def! And I really do try to listen. I had the ending mapped out when I started, and I like to work a chapter ahead, but I do a lot of re-writing and go in and retool if it's not sitting well or feedback tells me I need to work on something. So keep 'em coming. :)

 _CHAPTER TEN_

Bonnie spent the rest of the morning in Liv's suite, doing what she could to help a panicked bride-to-be in the last few hours before the ceremony.

"My stockings are ripped!"

Bonnie found the nude spare set she'd packed, and Liv gratefully hugged her.

"Why isn't my hair cooperating, dammit!"

Liv's failed glamour to emulate a bridal magazine updo ended up giving her a Bride of Frankenstein look. Bonnie took over, trying not to laugh out loud at the sight of her friend's hair. With a small wave of her fingers, she re-arranged the ends into softer layers and managed to copy the magazine's style close enough that Liv showered her with a litany of thanks.

"Tyler's been gone all morning!"

This was the only time Bonnie left the room. Using a locator spell to track down the MIA groom, she headed to the western edge of the hiking trails.

When she neared the area where her magic was pulling her to stop, she used a thread of power to reach out, tug, and deliver him to her. If he was still on a run, there was no chance for her to catch up to him, even in her best sneakers. Why none of the warlocks thought to do this, she didn't know, but she suspected it was because most of them probably were still clinging to the hope that Tyler would change his mind and back out, leaving a conveniently available, fully marriageable, and emotionally vulnerable Parker bride in need of a groom.

She could imagine all the instant offers that would pop up, should that happen. And just as easily, she could see Liv burning the entire place to the ground in hell-hath-no-fury-like-a-woman-scorned zeal.

"Bonnie, what the hell?" asked Tyler, when he came flying out of the woods, dropped by an invisible force on the ground at her feet.

She didn't appreciate his tone. "Why are you still running, Tyler?" she demanded. "You're not in a marathon! And I don't have time to be coming out here like I'm your baby-sitter. You need to get ready for your wedding. That you begged me to help you see all the way to the end. With all these damn crazy witches as witness!"

He grimaced. "Sorry. Did Liv send you?"

She gave him her best 'gee, ya think?' expression. "She's flipping out!"

His face appearing properly chastised, she chewed him out again for making her waste time having to chew him out in the first place, then sent him running to his room to get ready.

After that, she went straight back to Liv's suite, where her friend promptly burst into tears of relief, promising that she would name her firstborn after Bonnie.

"I'm such a wreck," sniffled her friend.

"No, just stressed," reassured Bonnie. "If anything, I should thank you. For inspiring me never ever to do this whole thing. _Ever._ "

Liv laughed.

"Do you have your something blue?" Bonnie asked.

"Let's see...I have old, my mom's necklace. And now I have borrowed, too, thanks to your stockings."

"And now blue," Bonnie said, pulling out the paper-tissue from her bag and unwrapping it. "This is a friendship bracelet I once made when I was a kid. I was actually supposed to give it to a girl I met in summer camp but she left early, so I never got the chance." She smiled, suddenly slightly shy. "Thought maybe it deserved to be worn by another friend now, after all this time."

Liv held the tiny baby blue charm bracelet of earth, birds, and flowers, mingled with mother-of-pearl beads. "It's really pretty," she said softly. "Thank you."

Then tears came to her eyes again, but this time she held it in bravely, as she took Bonnie's hand. "You are without doubt the most amazing friend I've ever known. I don't know if you're aware how wonderful you are, but we're going to be ride or die, Bonnie. For life. I swear it."

Touched, Bonnie felt her own eyes stinging with tears and then lightly jabbed Liv with her elbow. "Ugh, you. I just finished putting on all my make-up. Now, look."

They started laughing, which made the make-up situation worse.

A knock sounded on the door. Bonnie opened it without thought, thinking it was Jo or the coordinator and other assistants, who had been in and out all morning.

Instead, she came face to face with Fiona.

Her smile died.

"Oh, it's you," Fiona said in polite, cool tones. Bonnie took in her beautiful floor length silk dress that hugged her body and accentuated her statuesque height. She was model-perfect, and Bonnie wished she could perform a spell on the woman, to either replace her soul to match her angelic face, or switch her face to show the ugly bitch she really was.

Bonnie stared evenly out, not bothering with any of the cordialities.

Fiona turned up her nose, looking past Bonnie. "Liv, are you in there?"

Liv came to the door, and Bonnie caught the grimace her friend tried to hide. That was all Liv's own dislike, because she hadn't told her friend about last night's events. It was difficult to explain everything without including the enormous role Kai had played.

Bonnie hadn't mentioned anything at all of him to any of her friends, period. Primarily because she didn't want to worry any of them and also because she couldn't explain to herself why the hell it was that she was allowing one of their biggest threats to become better acquainted with her. She liked to think that strategically, it was a matter of keeping a potential enemy close.

But, eyeing Fiona, Bonnie knew that didn't hold water. Fiona was also dangerous to their plans and Bonnie had no desire whatsoever to share pastries with her.

Disturbed by the progression of her thoughts, Bonnie walked away from the door and gave the other two a chance to talk in private.

Despite herself, she caught bits and pieces of the conversation.

"...no, I don't have something new yet..."

"...my room...bought it a while back...show you...keep it..."

She rolled her eyes. Fiona had some nerve. So now she was giving Liv the 'something new' for her wedding to Tyler, the man she had tried to dig up dirt on from Bonnie just last night. Bonnie almost wished Kai hadn't used his memory spell on the woman, if only so Bonnie could go spit on her face and Fiona wouldn't wonder why.

Liv popped her head in. "Hey, Bon, I'll be right back, Fiona's got something to show me." Her face hidden from view, Liv rolled her eyes up and mouthed 'save me' but Bonnie could only shrug helplessly.

They heard another movement from somewhere down the hall, followed by Fiona's voice, molasses sweet all of a sudden. "Fancy meeting you here," she purred. "And looking amazing, might I add."

A man's low pitched voice sounded, and Bonnie groaned to herself. God, no. Not him. Not now.

"We're actually heading out real quick," Liv said, and Bonnie watched with relief as the door started to close. "Did you need something?"

"Not really," said Kai. "Just thought I'd get a word in before everything goes down. I can come back later."

Fiona's laugh tinkled and echoed in the room. Bonnie mimed choking her. "You say that as if you're expecting trouble."

"Never hurts to be prepared, you just can't trust some people."

Bonnie smiled to hear the coldness in his voice.

"Later will work," Liv said. "Be right back, Bon!"

 _Dammit._

"Is someone in there?" came Kai's voice.

"Nobody important," said Fiona quickly, at the same time Liv said, "Yes, Bonnie, why?" her voice coming out impatient and rushed.

The door suddenly stopped its progress towards closing.

"Ya know, I think I'll just wait." There was a pause, before Kai added, "Will you be long?"

Then there were more sounds, and Bonnie guessed the women were heading out. She cast her eyes nervously around the room, trying to think of a good place to put herself where she wouldn't come into contact with Kai. She hadn't put her magic away, and now there was no time to do so. Even though it was invisible to him thanks to the veil, he could still pull it from her if they touched, and if he got it into his head to try once more.

She could feel her power coiling, responding to his presence, as his own magic lapped in slow, lazy beats around the room.

She reassured herself. _Just make sure you don't touch._

Bonnie breathed shakily, then stood beside the closet where Liv's dress hung from a mannequin. She busied herself with it, her back to the door.

"Hi," he said.

She turned to casually nod at him, and then tried not to stare open-mouthed as he stepped further inside the room. He had already changed into his formal wear. It was patently unfair, how Kai Parker cleaned up incredibly well in a suit. He looked out of place in the messy room. Remembering Fiona's stunning gown, she realized how perfectly matched they were based purely on appearances. Casting a glance down at herself in her jeans and tee, she almost gave into a shrug. Classic Bonnie Bennett luck, still stuck in shabby wear when everyone else around her was getting dressed to the nines.

"Hey," was all she could manage, trying not to sound morose.

For several long moments, neither of them said anything. The strangest thing was they hadn't seemed to run out of conversation during breakfast; if anything, she almost hadn't been able to stop thinking of things to broach. Now?

Boy howdy, it was awkward.

"So Fiona," she said lightly, "is acting like a good little cheerleader about the wedding. She's taking Liv to her room to give her a 'something old.'" Bonnie tossed him another glance back over her shoulder and saw that he was looking out the window, frowning. Or striking a pose. Either way, he still looked disturbingly good. She looked away again.

"Sounds ominous."

"Why? Do you think she'll try something?"

"Well, just off the top of my head, I can imagine her abducting Liv, giving her hexed jewelry, or casting some kind of undoing spell that might change my sister's love for Tyler into total indifference."

Shit, why hadn't Bonnie thought of that? "Crap," Bonnie muttered, feeling helpless because she couldn't reveal that she could use magic through the ying yang. Then she looked up at Kai, whose power was clearly not in hiding. He could easily pursue the pair that had just left, and save his sister. "Why aren't you doing anything?"

He smiled, turning to her and taking a few steps forward. "You know, you're a really good friend, Bonnie."

"Kai," she said, backing up.

"Oh, are we doing this again?" he asked. "It's like our dance. Me one step forward, you two steps back." He stopped moving and put his hands in his pockets. "Thought we'd gotten past this."

"Liv is-"

"Fine," he cut in gently. "She's a seasoned witch, knows what's up with the Vansels, and I can personally tell you that Fiona has definitely learned not to test my sisters. Because she's already tried before, and gotten her ass kicked." He paused. "Except for Sue." He shrugged. "Someone had to be the dim bulb in our pack, if you get my drift."

Breathing a little easier, Bonnie's shoulder moved up and down in relief. She caught him staring at her, and went back to hovering over the dress to avoid it.

"I see you worked wonders with the iron," he commented.

She snorted. "That wasn't me. And apparently, you can't iron a wedding dress. You steam it." She smiled. "You should've seen how horrified they were. Liv, Jo, and the coordinator-they banned me from touching anything iron related after they caught me setting up shop."

Kai laughed, a deep, pleasant, warm, genuine sound that made him look so boyish she couldn't help fully facing him again so she could take it in.

She started giggling, too, as she flashed back to the three women's faces. "It gets worse," she added, holding her stomach. "I almost broke the damn steamer. So they had to get Rachel to do it. Who already thinks I'm such a moron...she spent five minutes reading me the instruction manual..."

They broke down then, the earlier tension in the room giving way to shared mirth. The release felt wonderful. Kai plopped on the bed, breaking into guffaws, while Bonnie stood with her hands on her knees, partially leaning against the closet door for support.

When it finally subsided, they were both smiling amiably, the awkwardness gone. How vastly different he came across just now compared to when she'd first seen him. In place of the intimidating stranger with the hard eyes and a cold smile was someone with a warm laugh and an openness in his gaze that made her feel, for the first time, like he was someone she could not only trust, but maybe eventually call a friend.

"I'm glad I caught you, actually," he said.

At his words, pleasure bloomed up from the vicinity of her stomach, spreading through her neck, making her go warm-until she saw that he had taken on a more sober demeanor.

"I wanted to ask," he continued, "did you notice anyone else in the dining room earlier when we were having our coffee?"

Brows furrowed as she thought back to it, she shook her head. "After Matt, I think it was just the two of us."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"Why?"

The look he gave her was full of misgiving. "I think we were being watched."

Bonnie blinked. So not what she wanted to hear right now. Her blood warmed, magic roiling ominously inside her.

"Great," she muttered, starting to pace. She didn't bother to ask herself why anyone would care if they were seen together, because that would be a stupid question since the answers to that could fill a page. What it boiled down to was that Bonnie had let her guard down too much, and not stuck to the script by staying under everyone's radar.

Continuing to associate with Kai was just not a good idea. She threw him a quick nervous look as she fumbled for her bag on the desk by the closet. "Um, I have to go," she mumbled.

Kai stood, frowning. "Something wrong?"

"Yes, I need to get away from you!" she wanted to shout, but didn't for fear of spurring him to challenge her. Which she had an inkling he liked to do far too much for her peace of mind.

"No," she said quickly, feigning a smile as she indicated her outfit. "Seeing you reminds me that I have to get ready myself."

"Really, that's it?" he asked, the lightness of his tone putting her guard up. "Because you just went from zero to one eighty, as soon as I mentioned that we might have had an audience during breakfast. Admit it, you're spooked."

"Gee, I wonder why," she said, frustration lacing her tone with sarcasm. "Could it be that like most normal people, I don't like the idea of being spied on? But maybe you're used to it because that's Coven Practice 101 for you Geminis."

His smile was full of bite. "Nice. And now, how about a real explanation, with a little less theatrics and mockery for the guy who's only trying to give you friendly warning?"

"That's the problem, Kai," she said, considering his words. "Stop being friendly. We're not friends."

The visible hurt in his eyes was hard to take, and when his gaze dropped to the floor as he gave a little nod to himself, Bonnie felt like scum. But she pressed on, because it needed doing. "If being around you is raising questions and making people take too much notice of me, then I can't be. Around you. And anyway," she added, making light of her words, "You've got a lot on your plate as it is. No need to add anymore."

"How exactly do you add to my plate, Bonnie? What do you think people assume when they see us together?" His laugh was dismissive and snide. "I've had my share of closet hook-ups. Everyone knows it doesn't mean anything. Based on appearances, you pretty much fit the bill of being one."

"Goes to show how perceptive the people in your coven are," she retorted, anger fueling her magic, threatening to spark under her fingertips. "We both know that couldn't be further from the truth."

He put up both his hands in mock apology. "Oh, did I offend you? Sorry, I was just making sure you weren't getting the wrong idea. You and me-it's not that serious. Oh, and good effort, by the way, Bonnie. You almost had me really thinking that it was me stirring up the pot, but now that I think about it," he sauntered forward, one finger tapping his mouth, "we're surrounded by people who have known me for years. Nothing new to see here, so why would they care what _I'm_ doing for breakfast?" He stepped directly in front of her with a hard, unreadable face. "I'll bet anything that we were being watched because of _you_."

"Fine, then!" she cried. " _You_ don't need to be around _me_ , so leave. Problem solved."

"Ah, ah, ah, not quite," he said, with a forced chuckle. "See, it would be nice to think that I could just walk away, right? But the thing is, if members of my coven see you as trouble, then I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't try to figure out why."

She glared at him. "We had this conversation before, Kai."

"Funny enough, I don't remember tabling it."

"Is this why you won't leave me alone? Everywhere I turn, there you are!"

"Says the woman who walked into my room-uninvited-late at night-in skimpy pajamas!"

Before she could protest that her raggedy shorts and tank top were not only modest but well-worn favorites, and therefore nothing she would have used for special occasions like seducing a man, she caught his gaze shifting to somewhere over her shoulder. His head tilted in sudden, but total confusion. "Wait, what is that?" he asked, moving around her.

"What?" Bonnie replied, looking over as well.

And then it hit her.

 _Oh, no...no no no no, you're shitting me, Liv didn't find a better place for the damn blow-up._

Kai was reaching out for the closet door, when Bonnie suddenly blocked his path. "Nothing," she said. "It's nothing."

His brows lifted, as he came to a full stop before her. Their faces inches apart. Suddenly all of the hostility between them morphed into something much more dangerous.

 _Hello, tsunami wave,_ Bonnie thought, a touch hysterical. Her power lashed against her, responding to his nearness. The lazy rhythm of his own magical pulse stayed steady, because while she was sensitive to his essence, he couldn't sense hers, which had kicked up a beat and was surging even more pressingly now, causing her arms to form pinprick goose bumps. She tried to convince herself the reaction was just from her powers.

"Bonnie," he said in a low cadence, as their eyes clashed.

She was desperately, with all her might, silently willing him to back down.

"Whatever it is, must be good," he said, and he pressed closer, lowered his face even more to hers, so close she could see his pupils, hugely dilated despite the brightness in the room. His eyes were more black than gray now.

"Please, Kai," she said, wondering why the hell her voice came out sounding so damn breathy.

Impossibly, his pupils grew larger.

She heard him swallow, then he lifted a hand and cupped the side of her neck gently as he leaned in, close enough that their lips were almost touching. His Sanskrit ring was pressing into her skin, the pull of his magic there so enticing that Bonnie clamped down on a sudden wave of her own power rising to the surface of her skin where his hand lay.

Both their chests were heaving. She was trying to convince herself that for her it was panic, but then his fingers reached up to trace along her jaw, and she knew that she was bullshitting herself. Her own head was tilted up and meeting him halfway as he closed the tiny distance between them, and their mouths finally met.

 _No no no, this isn't happening._

His lips molded in just the right way to hers, soft, warm, and fervent. They both leaned in eagerly, her hands on his jacket lapels, then sliding up his neck, his hair, drawing him in. He opened his mouth, his tongue sliding against hers, their teeth clashing, before their tongues tangled again. His hands were on far, far more places than she'd let hers go, his palms on her waist and hips, tugging her close, then one hand moving back to her neck to tangle in her hair, and the other reaching further down, cupping her ass and pushing her harder against him.

"Jesus," he whispered, taking nips at her lip as he backed them both into the wall. She lifted her neck to give him access, and he licked her, honest to God licked her, his tongue moving between the tip of her clavicle to the skin just under her ear. Then his hands drifted under her shirt, and up, up, slow, teasing against her skin, pressing softly, as if he was trying to rein himself in. His lips found hers again when a hand cupped her breast, eliciting a moan from her as she arched into his touch.

He groaned incoherently against her mouth when her hands tugged his pants closer, her fingers sliding under the waistband.

"Bonnie," he said, his voice dangerously low.

This was most definitely not part of the plan. Her magic was cresting all around her, swimming on the surface of her skin. A part of her was just waiting to get caught now.

 _You're screwed, girl._

Yet she continued, uncaring. He drew back in for another taste. She caressed his jaw with both hands as their mouths moved slower, sweeter, their tongues lapping more softly. Her fingers trailed over his stubble, relishing the prickliness, and he smiled, keeping his lips on hers, while his tongue slowly lapped around and over hers. She caught his bottom lip and tugged it gently, before she pulled away.

The gaze he gave was all heat, but a little of something else, and the room became unbearably humid then, and Bonnie felt sticky on her skin-and other, more interesting places.

She leaned her head forward against his chest, feeling it rumble with soft laughter.

"I really hate you, Kai," she mumbled, suspecting from the heaviness in her throat that she was close to crying, or spilling all her damn secrets, or just removing all her clothes and his, too, because she wanted more.

"You suck," she continued, her voice still muffled against his shirt.

"Oh, keep going, Bon, your sweet talk does wonders for my ego."

He sounded content just now, and she was feeling none of the same. She liked a boy, but he was not for her. The story of her life.

"Come to my room," he said, lifting her by her chin, stealing another kiss.

She gave him a skeptical look. "Guess that's an upgrade from a closet," she couldn't help saying.

He grimaced, but didn't look away. Instead his eyes searched hers intently. "I didn't-I'm-"

"It's okay," she cut in, her fingers stroking his face in quick dismissal because she was learning to read him, and she remembered clearly the hurt in his eyes when she'd launched the words that served as the opening salvo to their argument.

"We can just talk," he said, kissing her palm. "Among other things," he added wickedly. "But I promise, no more than what just happened."

When she hesitated, she didn't miss the crestfallen look passing over his face that he tried to hide. "No pressure," he said casually. "I just-I feel like we won't get another chance because the ceremony will start in less than two hours." He paused. "We just haven't had a lot of time. The reception afterwards-I don't know if I can get away."

Bonnie struggled again, but managed a wary nod. "Okay."

He took her hand, and she let him lead her, glaring at the closet door as they made their way out. At least she'd kept him from finding Tyler's lookalike blow-up buddy.

"What was the sex doll for, anyway?" he asked.

She stopped, eyes huge and round.

He bit his lip in a poor effort to hide a grin. "Kind of a bad hiding place." Then he shuddered. "Know what, don't even answer that. I promise not to pursue it. Just realized it was in my sister's closet."

Her head dropped again. She was really going to kill Liv.

But then Kai's face was there as he bent to look at hers. "Hey, why so glum?" he asked, smirking. "That doll ended our fight."

Tilting her chin up, he captured her lips again in a deep kiss. Within moments, he had pressed her up against the door, their bodies straining against each other in a now familiar dance, their mouths and tongues moving roughly together in and out of sync. Their hands sought each other's skin more insistently. While their mouths dueled, her fingers undid his shirt buttons and slid onto his chest and stomach, running over the same muscles that had been burned into her memory last night. He responded by pulling down part of her shirt, her bra with it, and Bonnie gasped and tugged his hair as his tongue and mouth found her nipple, rounding and sucking it slowly.

A small spark of her magic tore out.

Through hazy eyes, she watched it fizzle away.

He didn't even notice. She made sure he stayed distracted by slipping her fingers inside his pants, grazing his erection.

Cursing, his grinded his hips against her, his face buried in her neck. She gave back just as hard, wrapping one leg around his hip. Half-chuckling, half-groaning, he kept bucking her into the door. Defiantly, she tilted her hips, rotating it directly into the bulge of his pants, reveling in his soft growl. Her head dropped back against the door. His mouth followed, biting and kissing, licking all along her neck and lower, his hands shoving the rest of her shirt and bra down. His eyes feasted on her bare chest, before he dragged his jaw over and around each of her breasts, his stubble a delicious slow burn on the swell of skin. He glanced up and saw her watching, then slid his tongue over where he had grazed her, soothing the redness, before flicking back to her nipples. In retaliation, her hands found the opening of his boxers and with slow, firm pressure, she scraped her nails along his length and over his tip.

"Oh, fuck," he sighed, closing his eyes, leaning his forehead on hers, his breathing choppy.

Between holding her breath and the effort of withholding her magic from cascading all around the room, she felt a little like dying.

 _I'm in hell. And I don't want to leave._

Her fingers didn't seem to want to stop touching parts of his face, running along his cheek, his stubble, brushing through the short bristles of his hair along the sides of his head, before finally sliding up and with lazy intent, ruffling the longer ends on top to make a mess.

How he looked now brought a smile to her face that she tried not to fill with sadness. He lifted his head, his eyes pleased but questioning.

"What was that for?"

"You looked too perfect," she said, nose scrunching. "Been wanting to ruffle you."

He chuckled softly, nudging her cheek with his nose. "You ruffled me a long time ago, Bonnie."

Which brought on more kissing. This time, though, they kept their hands at their sides, while their mouths and tongues tangled leisurely, their noses brushing softly.

"This is not," he said between kisses, "a good place."

"I know," her tongue flicked his.

"Bonnie, please, we have to go."

But she leaned away just then, shushed him with a finger to his mouth. "I hear voices," she whispered.

He licked around the tip of her finger and suckled it. She moaned, then smacked his shoulder with her other hand. "Stop," she hissed, but of course that just made him suck harder.

"He must have left by now. We took too long." That was Fiona, sounding pouty.

Bonnie tore herself away from Kai, straightening her clothes before running back to the dress on the other side of the room. He stood for moment, his body taut as he stayed by the door. But then he quickly moved to where Bonnie was, pulling her in for another kiss, demanding and sloppy and leaving her breathless. Her lips were a swollen mess.

Oh, shit, Liv was going to find out.

But Kai murmured under his breath, winking at her as he buttoned and tucked in his shirt.

The door opened. Liv and Fiona entered quickly, catching the room's two occupants bending over the dress.

"Hey, why am I sensing magic?" asked Liv.

Kai popped his head up. "Trying to fix a small tear. It's being a little stubborn." He sounded completely unflustered, all suave and so annoyingly sexy as he sent her a look when he bent down again, that Bonnie had to bite her lip and roll her eyes because was this guy for real? Chanting softly, he kept watching her, their heads hidden behind the folds of the skirt. His thumb came up, brushing her mouth, and she heard his breath catch when her tongue slid out automatically to wet her bottom lip.

The two women rushed at the dress, all agog. Bonnie and Kai straightened and stepped back to let them take over.

"Get away from it!" Liv cried in panic. "You have no idea what you're doing!"

He lifted a brow. "I'm the heir to the Gem-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, you're not a dressmaker, so who cares."

"Neither are you."

"No, but I've read enough bridal magazines, and they have lots of articles like 'Quick Fixes for Dress Debacles Caused by Dumb Relatives on Wedding Day.' Out of my way so I can fix my dress!"

Within moments, Liv proved herself as the dress was perfect again. She and Fiona busied themselves with it as Bonnie and Kai stood back. She took a moment to furtively touch her lips. They were back to normal. She glanced at Kai and saw he was half-turned towards her, his gaze heavy on her mouth. When he met her eyes, his were wicked and inviting and everything that she couldn't risk exposing to the other two in the room.

She slid away from him.

Liv finally stood, satisfied with her work. Hands on hips, she looked at Kai, shaking her head, muttering menacingly. "I leave you here for two seconds and disaster almost strikes!"

Truer words were never spoken.

Fiona, meanwhile, busied herself warming up to Kai with provocative glances and speaking in hushed tones. He deftly managed to avoid all of her efforts to get closer, probably because Bonnie could feel her face broadcasting the struggle she was having, deciding between what she wanted more, to yank out every strand of Fiona's hair or kick Kai repeatedly in the balls.

Then she remembered herself. This was not her place, and he was not hers. She had absolutely no business being jealous.

Resisting Kai's efforts to catch her eyes again, she tried to put the entire episode out of her mind, thankful that the other women had arrived when they did. When the coordinator and her assistants came barging back in, Bonnie waited until the women had all swarmed in the center of the room, effectively blocking Kai. She slipped quietly out the door.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** I really liked writing this chapter. It was kind of cathartic after that finale. I hope you guys feel the same. No Bonkai interaction-well, maybe a little but not really. You'll see. Can't wait to get your thoughts. And as always, thanks for reading and reviewing.

Oh, and someone asked why Bonnie didn't get caught when Kai touched her last chapter. Bonnie was afraid of his touch b/c of his siphoning. But with the veil spell up, even if her magic was out, Kai couldn't see her aura. If he got it into his head to try to siphon again or if she outright used magic were the only ways for him to know. Which her magic did leak out at one point, but *ahem* he was otherwise too busy to notice. ;)

And one last oh...I am totally taking liberties with the whole Expression magic thing. Excuse anything that doesn't mesh with canon. Ha. Canon. Ugh. Anyway, enjoy. :)

 _CHAPTER ELEVEN_

He knew as soon as she left.

With the other women clucking all around, fussing over Liv and serving as obstacles between him and the door, he couldn't get to Bonnie in time to leave with her. It didn't surprise him, her escape. He was quick to pick up on things and she had broadcasted her intent with her behavior after the other two returned to the room. But Kai had patience on his side. Her skittishness was an inconvenience he could learn to live with.

After making his own excuses to his sister, and disentangling Fiona from his side, he made his way to Bonnie's room. She wasn't there.

Frustration surged over him, not all of it sexual in nature. Much as he'd tried to persuade himself at first that this was just a mundane attraction to a pretty face attached to a mysterious personality, he knew now that wasn't what was happening here.

He liked just _talking_ to her, as much as he did tonguing her nipple and hearing her moan.

Tearing off women's lacy underthings to engage in raunchy sex was nothing new. And, okay, yes, those things and more, he wanted to do with Bonnie. Repeatedly and in numerous positions. But he had control, dammit. If it wasn't a normal girl at a random bar, it was a witch sending him magical smoke signals, looking for a meaningless hookup or trying to entice him into a relationship for the benefit of strengthening community alliances. Whichever way, he didn't break. The liaisons he had, he chose them, whether human or witch, and they never lasted more than a few weeks at a time. Relationships...well, come to think of it, he had no use for those. The closest he'd ever allowed himself to dabble in that nonsense was that one time, with the succubus when he was a teenager and attempting weird things; and that other time, with the nymphomaniac older Gypsy who knew all the tantric mystical spells and had completely invaded every part of his smaller brain, for an entire summer.

Now, though. That manic feeling under his skin when he was around Bonnie...the manner in which his closely guarded thoughts scattered to the wind when he interacted with her. That was new. Not normal.

While he couldn't honestly say that he liked it, one thing he was sure of was that he couldn't get enough of it.

Downstairs, he prowled the lobby and the other conference rooms. Still no Bonnie, although plenty of other guests loitered, dressed and eager to catch a glimpse of anyone interesting. He had to stop and play host periodically, here exchanging meaningless words with the humans among the crowd, there reading into subtext in his chit chat with the witches, a number of them uniformly seeming to expect two things: that papa Parker was going to put in a surprise appearance, and more importantly, that Tyler wasn't.

Because with an hour and a half left before the ceremony, the groom had been noticeably hiding himself away.

"He keeps saying he's almost done," Dex reported. "But he won't let anyone in. Matt went to drop off his tux and Tyler made him hang it on the doorknob outside his room. It's still there."

"Where's Matt?"

Dex shrugged. "He said he had some things to take care of, I guess he needed to get ready, too."

Kai rolled his head to look up in aggravation, holding back a curse. Why Tyler's own best man didn't think to explore this potential problem with the groom, who knew? He was sorely tempted to kick the bucket and have Dex track Matt down.

Here was Bonnie, missing, and the window of time that he had with her getting narrower and narrower.

 _Such_ bad timing.

With quick, precise steps, in no time at all, Kai stood in front of Tyler's room. He scooped the tux up and looped it over his shoulder as he leaned against the door frame, crossing his legs at the ankles. "Knock, knock!" he called loudly. "It's Kai, your future favorite brother-in-law!"

"Leave me alone..." came the raspy, weak voice on the other side.

Kai dropped his act as he straightened, eyeing the door. "Tyler, what the hell is going on? You sound like you're dying in there, or at least ate a severely expired dairy product."

No answer.

His hand hovered a few inches over the knob, an instant tell-tale click reaching his ears. Having instructed the other men to stay downstairs, Kai took a quick glance around the empty hall, making sure nobody was on hand to catch a glimpse of whatever was going on behind the door.

"Hope you're decent, because I'm coming in!"

Still no answer.

Turning the knob, Kai stepped inside the room. The shades were drawn and none of the lights on, but it was mid-afternoon and daylight still seeped through enough that he saw, with perfect clarity, Liv's groom-to-be huddled in a fetal position on the bed, shaking and breathing unevenly.

"Huh," he said to himself, blinking away surprise. "That's never a good sign."

He moved quickly to the other man. Tyler was drenched in sweat, his face pallid. Kai didn't even need to put his hand on him to feel if he was warm, the heat rising from the other man's body was enough to know. Thinking quickly, he rubbed his hands together, then blew out a breath and held them a few inches above Tyler. He closed his eyes in concentration.

" _Sanare infirmitatem bene, sanare infirmitatem bene_..."

Several minutes later, as his magic began to weaken, Kai struggled to keep the incantation going when he saw that Tyler's condition was slightly improved. Healing spells, especially his, never took this damn long to take effect. Whatever was wrong with the other man, it was serious. Poison was Kai's guess. He poured more of his magic into his casting, changing up his words. After another moment, Tyler shifted position. No longer huddled, he lay now on his back, his breathing a little more regular. When he sat up, Kai stopped chanting.

"You okay?"

The other man brought a hand up to his head, shaking it. "No." He struggled to his feet. "I need to find Bonnie."

Kai took in that statement with a clenched jaw. "Really?" he asked lightly.

Tyler gasped as he stepped forward.

"You're not much in any position to be out and about."

"I'll feel better," Tyler managed. "When I'm outside."

Kai took a closer look at the other man's face, still drawn and pale. "Call me crazy, Tyler, which incidentally you already have-but I'm gonna go out on another limb and say that's a bad idea."

"Don't get in my way!" the other man growled.

Kai nodded, shrugging. "Ookay," he said, as Tyler walked with shaky steps to the door.

Seconds later, he was asleep on the floor, knocked out by a sleeping spell.

Kai sauntered over to his prone form. "Technically, it's not getting in your way," he said cheekily. "If you decide to take a nap before reaching the door."

He pondered his next step, thinking of the other man's plan to find Bonnie. Now what, Kai wondered, could a human woman do for someone in his condition, that would make her be the first person Tyler looked to for help? Not Liv, or Luke, or Kai himself, or any of the other witches. Interesting, that.

Not for the first time since the weekend started, he remembered his father's ominous warnings. He contemplated the sick, sleeping man on the floor, leaning the lower part of his nose and mouth between his thumb and index finger.

Outside of whatever was ailing Tyler, something was clearly just not right about him. And probably with his friends. Most definitely with Bonnie, was the next thought that hit Kai with such deep, profound hurt that he couldn't see straight for a minute there.

At the end of the minute, though, he knew.

It was time for him to stop overlooking things.

Someone pounded on the door. "Hey, man!" came what sounded like an aggravated voice. "Are you ready in there? People are asking questions."

Kai strode to the door. Opening it, he found Matt on the other side.

"Well, what do you know, the best man," Kai said, his voice scornful. "FYI, you're kind of a fail."

Matt rushed in, face accusing as he took in Tyler's unconscious form. "What the hell did you do to him?" he demanded.

Kai brought his hands up, eyes widening in mock outrage. "Me? Nothing. I mean, put him out of his misery temporarily for a bit, yeah. He's sleeping. But Tyler has some serious issues that I definitely had nothing to do with." His tone became less amused. "Your friend is very sick."

Matt leaned over Tyler's form. "What's wrong with him?"

"Dunno," Kai said. "Actually, he looks better than when I got here. My healing spell worked a little, but wouldn't you know it, the idiot thought he was well enough to go out and look for Bonnie." He tilted his head and eyed Matt closely. "Why do you suppose that is, hmm? Your girlfriend a doctor or something?"

Matt's face assumed a closed-off expression, shuttered and unreadable. It was almost impressive, and Kai recalled Liv introducing him as the deputy sheriff in his hometown.

"You know, I was really hoping," he said with a dramatic sigh. "That you of all people would be a little more forthcoming. Officer of the law and everything, right?" Kai shook his head. "Shame, that. For you, I mean."

Pulling himself back up to a stand, Matt adjusted the glasses on his face, the lines of his body tense. Kai saw his hand drop to his hip, a subtle movement that Kai knew brought the other man well within reaching distance of what was probably a concealed gun.

"We need to get Tyler help," Matt said in a low, even tone. His police officer voice.

They faced each other across the room, resembling to Kai's amusement one of those old Western cowboy faceoffs. "You ever watch reruns of Bonanza when you were a kid?" he said, almost laughing. "Because I'm getting that vibe here."

"Is everything a joke to you?"

"No, not everything." Kai angled his head, a hand going to his mouth in thought. "Betrayal of trust, for example? Not funny to me."

Matt grimaced. "What're you talking about, Kai?"

"Well, _Matt_ ," he raised his brows pointedly. "Since you're a cop and supposedly trained to spot things that appear off...care to explain to me why you, Tyler over there, and your oh so lovely and _supposed_ girlfriend strike me as being...I don't know...not what you appear?" His hands gestured carelessly. "Bonnie's ditzy act, I already flushed out. And last night, you pretty much confirmed that you two are not an item."

"You stay away from Bonnie."

Kai waved dismissively. "Ah, too late. Seriously, she and I are _way_ past that." He stopped, faltering for a moment, as her face floated to mind. Flaring his nostrils in annoyance, he willed the image gone. "See, I can tell you're one of those Old Yeller type of boyfriends, you know the kind that's annoyingly faithful and protective. And come on, there's Bonnie. I can't imagine you'd really be dumb enough to jeopardize losing a woman like her over just anyone. Because that's what happened last night, right? You were getting so busy with the stripper slash bartender in the back room of the pool hall you couldn't even make it out in time to keep Tyler from getting bit by a vampire." He took a step forward, his face grim. "And now, here's Tyler. Poisoned, I think. But, instead of reacting like any other normal human to a basic healing spell-everything about him is wonky."

"How do you know it's poison?" Matt demanded.

"I don't, it's my best guess." Kai narrowed his eyes at the man. "Here's what I'm thinking. How about you volunteer to tell me the truth about you and your Mystic Falls friends?"

The blonde man stood in silent defiance.

"No? Okay." Kai's head tilted, as he let his smile grow sharp. "I'll just dig it out of you."

Matt's hand flew just as Kai's fingers twitched. The other man suddenly began choking, hands clawing at his neck as his breath came out in short, jerky wheezes. Kai strolled up to him, watching as the invisible sleeper hold knocked the man unconscious.

"There was a less painful way to do that," he muttered. "But you're really irritating."

Snapping his fingers, the two men slid against the far wall, their forms sprawled next to each other. Tyler's face appeared to be growing haggard again, his sleep disturbed.

Kai cursed, rubbing his hand over his stubble, shaking his head in disbelief. It was almost funny, really, because Joshua Parker had been a little bit right after all.

One of Kai's worst memories was of watching his father and mother gather the elders in a candle-lit room, with him and Jo standing back to back in a circle. Their bare feet surrounded in etchings drawn from the blood of the elders in the coven, Jo had been frightened of everything-the hooded people, the circle, the candles. But not Kai. His father had taught him about the proferrance ceremony, another of the Parker family's contribution to Gemini tradition. When the blood on the circle dissipated, Jo and Kai would have their powers, his father had told him excitedly.

Jo had cried from the pain of the ritual, but once the blood disappeared, Kai remembered his father's face, so proud, because behind him, scaredy-cat Jo had done something with her shiny new magic. And then that proud face had turned to Kai, waiting and waiting. And nothing had happened. Kai had panicked, reached out blindly for his sister's hand behind him. When Jo started screaming-and his father's face had gotten so ugly, like he wanted to throw up, and his mother had started crying-Kai hadn't been sure why they weren't happier. Because suddenly, he had waved his hands around and the spark of flames dancing atop all the candles had all died. So they should've been proud of him, too.

That was the first time that Kai had known that there was something very, very wrong. It was a visceral moment that stayed with him, embedded deep in his gut and even seeping into his bones. It was why he always, always trusted his instincts.

Until now. The nagging sense of fuckery afoot had been plaguing him from the beginning of the weekend, and for one reason or another, from a distraction here and there-mainly Bonnie-Kai had let it slide until this point. But now, it wouldn't do anymore to keep ignoring his gut.

Now, he was fed up.

Whistling, he set to work with a smile.

* * *

Bonnie found her sitting on a bench overlooking the lake. The strangest thing about it, she wasn't aware that she'd even been looking for the woman. Until the moment her eyes set upon Maggie Durant's tranquil face, wearing the gentlest, most understanding smile, Bonnie had been wandering aimlessly around the grounds, lost in a storm of conflicted thoughts, most of them centering around her questionable judgment in general, and Kai Parker in particular.

A maudlin wave of feelings was threatening to overtake her, and made her want to give herself an aneurysm. Seeing Maggie helped.

Without a word, she took the seat beside the woman. For a long time, there was no sound except a few birds, the gentle swaying of branches in the forest behind them, and the rustle of small animals scurrying among the dead leaves. The water was before them was calm, unmoving, offering a dark reflection of the cloudless skies above. Giving Bonnie no comfort in its stillness. Her turmoil needed venting.

Her fingers twitched, and the center of the lake simmered in response. In another moment, the water rose to a boil, as steam began to rise. Bonnie watched it, her furrowed brows clearing slowly. She heard the pop and hiss of more water bubbling to the surface of the heated lake. A fine mist grew out, spreading across to mar the picture perfect vista from before. Soon they could no longer see the lodge behind the fog.

"Bonnie," came Maggie's quiet voice.

Leaning back against the bench, Bonnie sighed. The simmering boil in the middle of the lake eased abruptly, leaving just remnants of steam. Bonnie turned her face up, closing her eyes, finding comfort in the fine mist landing on her lashes and cheeks.

She exhaled slowly, turning to face Maggie. "I'm ready," she said simply, tears brimming in her eyes.

Maggie reached over, embracing her, and much as she tried not to, Bonnie couldn't help a lone tear from falling down one cheek. She wiped it off right away. When she leaned back, Maggie had a handkerchief out.

Bonnie raised a brow, her eyes now dry.

"Oh," Maggie said, putting away the linen square. "Marvelously quick recovery."

Bonnie laughed, long and loud, and it felt nice to let it out this way rather than to cry.

Maggie patted her hand. "What is always expected to remain strong can sometimes turn brittle," she said. "I'm very glad to see in your case, that doesn't apply."

Bonnie sighed deeply.

"'All great and precious things are lonely,'" Maggie said, smiling sadly. "That's a line from one of my favorite books. Have you ever read _East of Eden_ , Bonnie? Time was, it used to be common reading in high school. I don't know about now."

Bonnie nodded. "I read it one summer. Long time ago."

"Do you recall the characters Cal and Aron?"

"The brothers based on Cain and Abel?"

Maggie stared out at the water again. "Their mother was a prostitute, a toxic presence in the story. Cal took after her in personality, showing evil tendencies. Aron was more like his father, good hearted."

Bonnie frowned, because she remembered the book a little differently. "Cal overcame his inherent evil, though. And Aron was weak, he used different things to escape from the real world. He was always so sensitive and..." Bonnie paused, her face clearing as she glanced intently at Maggie. "...moral."

Maggie remained quiet. Bonnie tried to wrap her head around what Maggie wasn't saying. If she recalled correctly, it was a combination of Cal's actions and Aron's choices that had indirectly resulted in Aron's death. How did this have any bearing on Bonnie now? Was Maggie implying she resembled Aron?

"I thought my Grams cornered the market on cryptic messages," Bonnie muttered, "But you might be edging her out." A sense of foreboding rose from her stomach to her chest and latched on. "Maggie, tell me what you know about Kai Parker. Please."

For the first time, the older woman's aquamarine eyes held shadows when she returned Bonnie's gaze.

"You warned me that I would make an enemy of someone that could be my greatest ally. It's him, right? I need to know more."

"I'm not averse to sharing what's within my right." The old woman appeared forbidding. "But I would hate to see him hurt. I'm rather fond of the boy, you see."

"Would you believe," Bonnie said in a bitter undertone. "Might be getting there myself."

Maggie's eyes softened.

"But he could hurt my friends."

"It speaks volumes you didn't say that he could hurt you. Or you, him."

It was true enough, she knew. They each could wreck the other badly enough, if the intent was to engage Kai and the rest of his coven in a winner-take-all battle. But this wasn't their plan. At the outset, she, Liv, and the others had promised to take the road of least resistance, fleeing at the smallest sign of trouble in order to avoid any casualties. The plan hadn't sat well with Bonnie at first, because it was patently ridiculous to think people could avoid getting hurt in a witch fight. But Liv had begged on behalf of her family, for Bonnie to use extreme caution. And she had compromised, that if she had to use any of her magic, it would only be to disable, not permanently harm. Especially when it came to drawing from Expression, Bonnie knew to tread far more carefully with that, making a promise to herself to use it only in the direst of need.

And now it made her ill, the possibility of needing to use it against Kai, even if it was only to neutralize him. What made it worse was, without flinching, she could picture him unleashing his powers on her. Yet what triggered the gnawing hurt in her chest was imagining herself doing the same to him. She tried to shake her head free of the self-flagellation-never an attractive habit, and one of her worst.

She was really beyond screwed.

"That implies either you care little if each of you were to destroy the other," Maggie said gently. "Or too much." She paused. "Is the very idea painful, Bonnie?"

Bonnie stilled, saying determinedly, "I have to protect my friends, Maggie."

The other woman heaved a disappointed sigh. "For being Sheila Bennett's granddaughter, you can be quite reckless." She turned in her seat to face Bonnie fully. "Have you considered that other livelihoods rest in the balance? Outside of your friends? I'm sure you know about the merge ceremony."

Bonnie nodded.

"Winning it gave Kai true leadership in the coven. It doesn't signify that officially, he's only the heir. Joshua may hold the title, but the ritual bonding and the permanent powers that Kai gained point to the truth." Maggie nodded to the lodge. "Inside that building are men, women, and children whose lives are linked to the Gemini coven leader. If Kai was killed, you would be killing them as well. Are you prepared to have their blood on your hands?"

Bonnie shook her head, still calm. "No, I'm not. He isn't going to die..." she stopped, disturbed at the echo of these words in her mind. "I don't want my friends hurt, but where do you get that I'm willing to go to the extremes of killing off an entire coven for it? Or Kai? At a wedding?" She scoffed in disbelief. "Give me some credit."

"From my own observation, you've willingly died for your friends. On a regular basis, you put yourself in harm's way for them without much heed. For a _Bennett_ witch to feel the need to sacrifice herself so often, as if her life were worth so little...exactly how much credit should I be giving you, Bonnie? From what I've seen of some of your friends, they don't deserve all your trouble, my dear. And if you value _your_ life so little compared to theirs, how much worse would you value the lives of other witches, for the sake of your friends?"

Bonnie glared at her. "I guess you've been keeping tabs on me."

"Sheila threatened to haunt me otherwise. What else could I do?" She reached out, her wrinkled fingers a soothing maternal touch on Bonnie's cheek. "I'm sorry that you've been alone for so long. You should have been among others of your kind. The benefit is that you, my dear girl, have quite a unique perspective for someone whose witch bloodlines date back thousands of years." The smile she gave was sudden and brilliant, like the sun breaking through a bundle of clouds. "No one could ever accuse you of being a snob."

"I thought you were going to talk about Kai," Bonnie said, uncomfortable because she wasn't liking the focus on her shortcomings and the pitfalls of her lone witch upbringing.

Maggie laughed. "A Bennett daughter raised outside the constrictions of normal witch society is as fascinating a subject matter as the Gemini coven's prodigal son." Her smile waned. "My only wish is to help you both."

"So help me understand him," Bonnie pleaded. "Liv told me only a little about their childhood. How their father is."

"Joshua Parker is a poor excuse of a father," Maggie said sharply. "As a coven leader, he was effective because of intimidation tactics and the alliances he built. All of his children were only ever an extension of the influence that Parker family power could yield him. He had his favorites, as a result. You've met some of them."

"Kai wasn't one of them."

"Oh, you misunderstand, Bonnie. In the beginning he was. Joshua gave Kai the world for a few years. Ruthlessness and cunning are what made his leadership work. Joshua was overjoyed to see his firstborn inherit those traits."

None of that gave Bonnie any reassurance.

"But when the boy showed his natural ability as a siphoner, that all disappeared." Maggie sighed. "What was once a nurturing environment turned into-well, neglect and abuse. You can imagine how that would have affected a boy like Kai. It got so bad, he routinely killed the animals in the family pens, that Joshua used for ritual sacrifice."

"Revenge," Bonnie muttered, not to try to excuse Kai, but because imagining herself in his shoes, she might've considered doing the same. The thought suddenly shocked her. She was sympathizing too much with him, allowing her feelings to color her better judgment. Stockholm syndrome.

"His mother tried interventions," Maggie continued, "But after the initial evaluation by a psychiatrist, Joshua took over and used it as a platform to keep Kai in isolation." Maggie paused. "All, mind you, while they were also raising seven other children in relative normalcy. Well, as close to normal as possible, when one's father is Joshua."

Bonnie tried and failed to picture such a household, of a family living day to day, with one child locked away somewhere in abject misery. There was never a cure for the trauma of an abusive childhood, she knew this. But the Kai that she'd gotten to know didn't fit the bill of a psychopath. Somehow, he'd worked his way through this, and even if he was damaged goods, he didn't appear to be beyond repair.

Bonnie's anger burned bright, as she asked, "What the hell kind of mother lets that happen to their child? I think I would kill anyone if they ever tried."

Maggie smiled sadly. "His mother was a victim in her own way, Bonnie. She was firmly under the control of Joshua Parker." Her smile turned cold. "The coven nearly fell apart when she placed the hex on Joshua. It gave her enough time to set Kai up under his grandfather's guardianship. It also left a permanent imprint on Joshua. He was never the same after that. Merely a husk of his former self. Another small blessing, that. The poor woman at least had a measure of peace for a few years, before she died of a stroke."

Bonnie wondered if mother and son had ever reconciled properly, if she had ever sought atonement, if Kai had even been inclined to forgive. It was all so fucked up, and made her abandonment issues with her own mother look like small peas in comparison.

"Kai returned for her funeral, and shortly after he stepped into his role, following the merge with Jo. He performed a spell that, combined with his siphoning, took only her powers without taking her life." Maggie looked once more out to the water, her eyes troubled. "His resurfacing caused quite a stir, you can imagine. The entire coven feared retribution. They were all guilty of participating in Joshua's abuse, or at minimum, condoning it."

Yet here they all were, enjoying the easy life courtesy of a Parker family wedding. And it seemed to her like the one person at the helm responsible for keeping things sailing on smooth waters, was the very same one who had probably earned the right to sink the whole damn ship if he so wished. And take the rest of the coven with them.

"So the million dollar question," Bonnie said. "Why didn't Kai do anything to these people? If he was the monster they all claimed?"

"When I met Kai, he was seventeen, charming, and well on his way to becoming unhinged. That version of him, left unchecked, I could believe capable of all kinds of violence towards his family and the coven." Maggie's shoulders lifted. "Throughout the years, the few times that Theo brought him round, I saw some progress with each visit. His eyes, they became less and less empty in slow degrees."

Kai's face flickered up in Bonnie's mind, exactly as it had looked when they'd shared a laugh in Liv's room. Open and inviting, as if he could warm her with just his gaze.

"The year that both his grandfather and his mother died, I thought to check on the boy. What do I find but him living as a recluse?" Maggie shivered. "Dreadful. I nearly leveled a small town arguing with him about rejoining the real world, as his grandfather would have wanted."

"Kai didn't want to?"

"Grief," Maggie said softly. "He was heartbroken, Bonnie. I think for the first time in his life." Maggie smiled sadly. "It took Theo twenty years to decondition Kai from the idea that he was a monster. And his death to cement the boy's humanity."

Bonnie's throat closed up, and tears stung her eyes again, but she focused on Maggie's words. "Twenty years? But he doesn't look much older than me."

Maggie patted her hand, her head shaking. "Sometimes," she said under her breath. "I really feel as though if Sheila were here, I could throttle the woman."

"Sorry, I didn't realize that I was-supposed to know the answer to that already?" Bonnie asked in confusion.

"Pocket dimension," Maggie said succinctly. "Every so often they pop up, and the Geminis have been known to dabble in it." She seemed to want to add something else, but then shook her head. "Notoriously difficult to create. They serve many purposes, but in the case of Theo and Kai, it became a haven. It also kept them both from aging, as time doesn't progress in these worlds the way it does normally."

"That kind of spell..." Bonnie was flabbergasted. "Serious mojo, there." She caught the flash of distress on the woman's face that vanished as quickly as it came. "Maggie, what is it?"

The other woman's smile appeared strained, to Bonnie's well-honed eye. "Merely trying to decide the necessary things to share," she admitted. "What I can I tell you, is after a good deal of trial and error, some of them painful for both parties, Kai received the upbringing that he should've had from the outset. Theo set it up so that half the year they were in the pocket dimension, Kai learning how to function as both a witch and a normal human-with feelings and morality and such...and the remaining half of the year, they put his learning to the test by bringing themselves back to the real world. He learned socialization in this way. By the end, just before his grandfather died, he excelled at it." Maggie shrugged in disdain. "It's why he's now considered quite the catch among the witch covens hoping to strengthen alliances. You've met Fiona, I think?"

Bonnie refrained from snorting.

"She's one of many women keeping an eye on that empty seat beside Kai in the council."

It escaped Bonnie why she should care about any of that and paid it no thought despite the way Maggie kept looking at her. She drew in a long breath, her mind sifting through the new information, and grabbed the other woman's hands gratefully. "I know you didn't have to share all of this. Thank you."

"Oh, Bonnie," Maggie said, her eyes filled with concern. "I did. And I'm not quite done. There are other things you must know."

Bonnie sensed the change in her tone, and moved sideways in the bench, bringing her legs up to sit cross-legged as Maggie sat back in her seat, her aqua gaze appearing far-off.

"Sorcery is a befuddling thing," she said. "So many arcane and varying types of practices to find. I'm sure you've encountered your share. Such as Expression magic. Volatile, that."

Bonnie kept steady eyes on the woman.

"Brave or foolhardy," Maggie said aloud, as if griping to someone. "I'll never know."

Bonnie smiled. "You sound like Grams."

"Oh, dear, I hope not. Your grandmother was quite the nag." Maggie shuddered. Then she shifted in her seat. "Do you know what I miss about Sheila? She had such excellent timing. I try, but I just don't have her style."

"I don't know, you seemed to pop up at the right moment just now."

"Utter coincidence, I assure you," Maggie said. "Or perhaps destiny decided for us." She hesitated. "Do you believe in fate, child?"

Bonnie shrugged. "I haven't made up my mind," she said truthfully. There were far too many senseless acts of horror that she'd witnessed, to make her believe that such things happened for a reason. But then other times, things fell into place so perfectly that she had no difficulty envisioning a guiding hand behind.

After several moments of quiet, Maggie turned her eyes back to the lake. "When I was young, I always played in my mother's garden," she said. "One rather ordinary day, there I was-all alone, I thought-except for a girl that suddenly walked by. She was smiling and laughing, but I couldn't hear her. She had my favorite doll in her hand. And her face was my own. It drove me mad for weeks, seeing her."

Bonnie lifted a questioning glance.

"My coven convinced my parents to put me in-well, it basically amounted to an asylum, for witches."

"Why would they do that?" Bonnie asked, horrified.

"Not to worry, darling, I escaped. Although it was indeed the worst summer of my life."

"Who was the little girl? A ghost?"

Maggie blinked. "Haven't you been paying attention, child? It was _me._ "

"Astral projection?" Bonnie asked.

Maggie shook her head.

Suddenly Bonnie remembered one of her grandmother's grimoires, dedicated to cross-universe spell casting. It had been one of the most difficult tomes to work through, appearing at times more like an astrophysics and cosmology text. "An alternate version of you," she said, wonderingly.

Maggie's face brightened in approval. "Just so."

"I read about it," Bonnie said in awed tones, "but never heard of anyone making contact with themselves."

"Not quite contact, rather it was more...a telepathic imprint. She and I never spoke. I don't even believe she was aware of my presence." Maggie shifted again, sighing. "They happen from time to time, among the witches receptive to such things. It runs in my family."

"So they're not visions, but glimpses of events that are actually happening-in a parallel universe?"

"Precisely. My magic brings me-very tiny windows, you could say, with which to see into these worlds. A reflection of something, someone, somewhere. Not always clearly, and not even with much reason sometimes. But enough for me to recognize patterns." Maggie smiled benignly. "I don't choose what to see, Bonnie. But my magic remembers. More importantly, I can recreate them."

Bonnie watched guardedly, as Maggie seemed to weigh something. The woman's strange blue eyes were intent on hers as she leaned towards Bonnie, brought two fingers up, closed her eyes, and chanted softly. The touch on the side of her temples made Bonnie flinch, her own eyes shutting tight as a rush of images filled her brain, displacing all her own thoughts.

She saw multiple versions of herself moving on the canvas in her mind. All with different hair and clothes, in places that looked familiar and others foreign.

All of them interacting with different versions of Kai.

... _Bickering, as they bounded out of a small plane and onto an empty, pristine white sandy beach with a resort looming behind that looked completely abandoned. Still arguing, she ran along the shore, and he followed close behind, chasing her towards the ocean. She tossed a backwards wave behind her, and he fell face first. Looking behind her to see his face pop up and his mouth spit sand, she laughed and kept running away, kicking water up behind her feet..._

 _...She lay on the floor, a line of blood seeping out of her mouth, with Kai nearby in a bloodied tux, standing with a confused, indignant look on his face. Just before Damon appeared behind him, and chopped off his head..._

 _...Huddled together in a small study, pouring over thick stacks of tomes, empty wine glasses and a scatter of scrolls surrounding them. Her face was a mask of concentration on the grimoires, while he kept stealing glances at her..._

 _...He walked up the stairs of her grandmother's house, carrying her. Her clothes were bloody and the color of her face pale as he gently placed her on the bed. He tried to feed her blood from his other wrist, but she wasn't responding. His hand was on her wrist, checking for a pulse, and panic showed on his face. He shook her shoulders, then yelled at her in helpless rage, just as Damon burst through the door. Without glancing up, Kai's finger sliced the air, and Damon's hand fell off his arm, his daylight ring rolling under the bed. A flick of Kai's head had Damon sailing through broken shards of glass out of the window. Suspended in mid-air, he burst into flames from the sun glaring brightly outside. In the bedroom, with shaky fingers, Kai traced the lines of her lifeless face..._

 _...Lounging on a couch in an apartment, she chewed on a pencil with her head bent on a crossword puzzle, while he lay stretched out on the floor, juggling throw pillows above them with his magic. He idly tossed one at her, laughing when her head came up in outrage, and she snapped her fingers to bring the remaining pillows crashing into his face..._

 _...In the living room of the Lockwood mansion, Bonnie kneeling beside Liv as she lay bloodied on the rug and Tyler crouched nearby, his face contorted in pain, his eyes amber and his fangs protruding. Kai stood above him, chanting, and Bonnie screamed at him as Tyler's body lifted in the air and his form changed fully into a wolf's..._

 _...Their faces and clothes all bloodied, they stood in a clearing with the dead bodies of her friends strewn around them. Jeremy alone stood between them, holding up a crossbow, his face a mask of terror and anger. Kai's hand rose, palm open, and Jeremy's heart tore out of his ribcage, leaving a gaping hole. Behind Jeremy, Bonnie sank her face into his neck and tore out chunks of flesh, and Kai stepped forward to join her, his own fangs glittering.._

 _...Standing in a cave, their hands wrapped around a metal object as they chanted in tandem. When a beam of bright light surrounded them, they shared a smile and a kiss, as their forms faded up and away..._

 _...Kneeling beside Kai, shaky fingers hovering over a fresh wound on his neck, as a black wolf loped away in the distance..._

 _...She was in a hospital room, her face pained, mouth opened in a soundless scream, while he crouched low beside her, whispering in her ear as he held her hand. Matching wedding bands glinted from their left ring fingers. And her belly was huge..._

 _...He fell on his back on a field of snow, as she crouched over him with a knife, a sadistic smile on her face as she made a stab for his heart..._

"No!" Bonnie cried, struggling to move away from Maggie's fingers, but the woman grasped her face with both hands, holding tight.

 _...Half facing each other in a clearing once again, they stood within a magic circle, one set of their arms clasped together. A storm brewed around their forms as they channeled each other through their linked arms. They were surrounded by half a dozen strangely dressed figures in long dresses and fancy pant suits, who appeared to be commanding an even larger army of vampires and werewolves in a coordinated assault on the pair of witches in the circle._

 _Kai held his free arm out, aimed over Bonnie's shoulder, and she followed suit. Blood trickled from their noses and ears as they covered each other's backs against attacks from the strange figures around them. Rocks and debris collided against their protective sphere, already under stress from the merciless pounding and beating of vampires and werewolves. Lightning flashed and fire crackled and spit from out of nowhere, as trees were ripped off the ground, all finding their targets, as Bonnie and Kai by turns obliterated their attackers one by one with nature as their shared weapon. The scene became a mass grave of bodies, until they both turned to the last witch left and moved their fingers in an identical pattern. He was suddenly torn in pieces by an invisible hand, his flesh paper in the wind._

 _In a soft, fading glow, she and Kai succumbed to the strain of overusing their magic. They fell to the ground at the same moment, their hands still clasped as they died..._

Maggie's grip on her face eased. Bonnie opened her eyes, gasping for air, the landscape before her bright and glaring. She put her hands against her eyes and tried to steady her breathing.

"Why?" she whispered brokenly. "Why show me all of that?"

Maggie's hand was soothing on her back. "Sheila came to me a month before her death with a message that she bade me pass on to you when the time came. This was the only way I could think of that would best deliver it."

Vehemently, Bonnie shook her head. "You shouldn't have," she said, squeezing her eyes shut again as if she could force them out of her head through will alone. "It's too much, Maggie."

The older woman grasped Bonnie's upper arms in a comforting grip. "Nonsense. You're a Bennett. You can handle it."

A shiver wracked Bonnie's frame, uncontrollable and fused with magic. Maggie flinched away, stung by it. "I'm sorry," Bonnie said. "I didn't mean to. I just..." her words died as she struggled to find her thoughts.

She heard Maggie sighing again, and when she turned, the older woman appeared haggard, the lines of her face etched with apology. "You needed to know. In every world I've seen, Bonnie Bennett and Malachai Parker are always fated to meet."

Still in a daze, Bonnie barely felt when Maggie touched her shoulder carefully. "It all turns out very differently. Nothing ends the same. But do remember..."

Bonnie blinked, waiting.

"...not everything is death and destruction."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Glad you guys liked the parallel universe idea. Helps me cope. Love your reviews, so thanks again for that, and just want to say, sometimes I find myself Kai-smirking at how antsy you guys are. Hope you enjoy this chapter, in which sh!t hits the fan. :)

 ** _CHAPTER TWELVE_**

Settling his visitors on the floor, Kai walked out of the house, following the path back to the pair of stones in the front. Stepping between them, he closed his eyes in concentration, and hearing a muted whoosh, reopened them to find himself back in his room at the lodge.

Downstairs, he tried to bypass the throng of people milling idly. He caught a glimpse of his siblings, ducking his head so they wouldn't see him.

"Kai!" called Luke, with Jo, Dex, and Sue in tow.

A tic started in his jaw that he couldn't control. Closing his eyes briefly in aggravation, he worked to paste a smile on his face as he turned.

"Want to help us gather these people in the gazebo?" Luke said.

 _Not really, they can all go to hell._

"The coordinators had the ushers make a spot for them to wait until the ceremony starts," his brother continued.

Kai looked at his watch, trying to pretend that this was any of his concern. "Still have about an hour," he replied. "Keep 'em here for now. Least they're not in anyone's way."

Jo and Sue were glaring at him, their faces alight with resentment. "What?" he finally asked.

"You were supposed to be in charge of setting up the Dioskouroi!" seethed Jo.

Exhaling, his eyes found the ceiling. "Oh, right." He shrugged. "Sorry."

Sue grimaced. "Dex ended up with the job...and leave it to him to put them the wrong way. They're not even parallel. He can't even get the line right."

Dex threw up his hands. "What's it matter? Two faces, two sides on each statue. Really no wrong way, is there?"

"East-to-west," Sue said through gritted teeth. "To follow the _ex caelo_ auspice. How many weddings have we had now? Why can't you get it right?"

"The better question is, why do we bother? No other coven I know still follows any of that auspice crap. We have the Weather channel."

"It's not about the weather," Sue whined.

"Celestial signs, like thunder and lightning? Covered by meteorology radar."

"It amazes me how you don't know anything."

"I swear, Sue, if you don't shut up about it, I'll turn that zit into a pressure ulcer."

Jo shoved them away from each other. "Not helping!" She turned back to Kai. "See, he couldn't maintain the hold on the statues to put them in the right position. They're too heavy for him. That's why _you_ were supposed to do it."

Kai raised his brows, wishing the lot of them at the bottom of the ocean just right then. "Any particular reason," he said, slowly and enunciating each word with bite, "why Sue couldn't throw her power in with his? Together, they can even go fix it right now." He leveled the two with the maniacal smile he knew scared them. "You know, once they decide to stop wasting time arguing here like a pair of potty training three-year-olds."

Dex and Sue disappeared in a flash after that.

Luke eyed him quietly. "Something wrong, big bro?"

Kai gave a tiny half-laugh, half-scoff. "It's a Parker family wedding," he muttered. "What _isn't_ wrong?"

Rachel came running up then, breathless. "The magpies escaped."

"Oh, Lord," Jo said, slapping a hand to her face.

"Don't worry, Geoff is tracking them."

"Don't worry?" Luke asked, skeptical. "Or worry more? He sucks at tracking spells."

Rachel mulled that over. "Dammit," and she disappeared again.

Kai's jaw worked back and forth. "So everyone's decided to check their brains at the door today?" he asked no one in particular.

Luke and Jo eyed him uneasily. He eased off on his irritation, trying to put some of his usual 'what do I care' manner back into play. Of all his siblings, these were the two who could see through him best and right now, he really didn't need anyone else butting in on his plans.

"What's going on?" Jo asked directly. "You have that look on your face that tells me you either have heartburn or something bad's going down."

"Me, no," he said, chuckling with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Well, possible yes on the heartburn, I might've gone overboard on the danishes earlier." He bumped a fist on his sternum, faking a look of discomfort. "Gonna go see if I can find an antacid."

And would have made good on leaving, if one of the Gemini elders didn't suddenly appear to block his way.

Tariq Sylvester, incredibly blunt and never one for patience, stood tapping his cane against the floor and wearing a disgruntled frown that made the wrinkles stand out noticeably on his dark face. His opaque eyes squinted directly into Kai's.

"Problem, Malachai," he said, the words less a question and more a warning, his gruff voice low but filled with worry. He lifted his cane and pointed the end towards an empty hall.

 _Of course, another problem._

Withholding a low growl of irritation, Kai followed him.

"Banishing Mickey," Tariq said. "Some elders didn't like it."

"I don't give a shit. This wasn't his playground, and definitely not his playtime."

"Understood. Just warning you. Not everyone supports the decision." Tariq's grimace became more pronounced. "Especially the siphoning."

"Again, and I can't stress enough," Kai said, chortling a little. "How little the shit I give is about that. It was my call to make. Anyone has a problem, they can come to me directly." He squinted at the older man. "Don't tell me you guys had another hootenanny without me?"

Tariq nodded. "Unrest is growing. You know this. Elders discussed. Some want Joshua Parker out. But fear forcing your hand."

"Not a good time to get into it right now, to be honest, Tariq." He rubbed his palm deep into his eyes. "I'll deal with it later." He was stepping away, when the old man brought his cane up to block his way. "Was there something else?"

"The ward," Tariq said. "It 's off."

Kai wrinkled his brows. "That can't be right," he said. "I set it up myself, there's no way it would crack."

"Not cracked..." Tariq trailed off, then looked to the side. "Can't tell. But it's something. Go check."

Kai bit his mouth in complete exasperation.

The old man sensed rather than saw his reaction, because his scowl deepened. "Not been wrong yet. You listen."

Tariq was a magical sensate, primarily a defensive witch, with decades of experience with cloaking and protection spells. He was one of the few members in the coven that Kai respected for his knowledge and skill, and as luck would have it, also someone that he never felt a pressing need to inflict random violence upon, as he did ninety-nine percent of the other members. Tariq and his family used to be at constant odds with Joshua, as far back as Kai could remember. Growing up, he had kept a wary distance from Tariq, creeped out by a blind man who sometimes acted like he could see into Kai's very soul-what little of it he possessed. After his return, that distance had been bridged somewhat by several months of working together, once Tariq became convinced that Kai wasn't a junior version of his father.

The wizened man stood mulishly before him now. Sighing, Kai closed his eyes to focus. Mentally skittering against the bounds of the protection spell, he delved deep to try to catch what was bothering the old man, pushing gently against the invisible barrier along all sides.

 _Nothing, it's solid, not even a chip_ -

And then he felt it...unobtrusive, almost camouflaged. But there nonetheless.

Someone had fucked with his ward.

"Grrgh," he growled. Opening his eyes, he found Tariq nodding at him.

"Go," the old man said.

* * *

Bonnie finished her incantation, wiping the sweat off her brow. She cast a glance up at the panorama before her, taking note of any specific landmark that she could use to let Caroline know where she had slipped the door into the ward that would allow her friend to sneak in if an emergency called for it. But there was nothing of note near the invisible boundary. The northern edge of the grounds faced the base of the mountains, and a small rock quarry lined part of the base. Squinting at the large rocks across, she cast her magic out, pulling several boulders to make a small pile on the ground, exactly where her door stood.

 _It's ready, I'm at the northern exit,_ she texted Caroline.

Bonnie waited for a few minutes, willing her friend to hurry. Less than an hour left before the ceremony, and she still hadn't gotten dressed, her hair and make-up needed re-touching after sweating out this spell, and also, she wanted to check on Tyler. Something about the way he'd looked earlier when she'd dragged him out of the forest didn't sit well with her. He hadn't answered her texts, either.

She sighed, turning her head to the sky and closing her eyes.

She realized she missed pretending to be the dumb valley girl from yesterday. If only because it gave her a few moments of escape. People didn't expect anything from that girl.

From Bonnie Bennett, the world wanted too much.

Unbidden, the images that Maggie imparted skimmed beneath the surface of her closed lids.

 _...Kai yelling at her dead body on the bed...both of them feeding from Jeremy's neck...dying together in a battlefield..._

Wrenching her eyes open, Bonnie dialed Caroline's cell. No answer. She tried her room telephone.

"Hello," Caroline said, her voice sounding frazzled.

"Hey, I just texted you," Bonnie said. "The ward has a door now."

"Okay, sorry, I dropped my phone in the pool earlier."

"Bad timing," muttered Bonnie.

"I'm on my way out to get a new phone. Just let Matt know that I can't get the video feed from the glasses right now."

"How soon can you make it? I gotta get dressed."

"Ten minutes, tops. Where was the northern exit again?"

Bonnie gave her the directions, then hung up and paced for a few minutes, her mind filled with worry. Who knew how long Caroline had missed out on the feed from Matt's glasses? Earlier when she hadn't heard from Tyler, she'd at least figured it was because he was preoccupied. Matt was pretty much always with him, and Caroline keeping an eye on both of them-or so she thought-so Bonnie had thought no news from anyone was good news.

She tried calling Matt's phone this time. No answer.

Bonnie's pacing intensified, as the gaping pit of unease inside her grew. She convinced herself she had enough time to try to find Matt at least, maybe somewhere in the lobby, before Caroline arrived. Whirling, she had taken a few steps in the direction of the lodge when she collided with something hard that made her stumble back and almost fall to her butt.

Unseen hands grabbed her arms to keep her upright. Bonnie stared in confusion, seeing nothing at all in front of her. What had she hit?

And then she felt it. _Him_. The unmistakable threads of his magic, no longer loose and lazy, but coiled and taut, ready to whip out and attack.

 _Oh shit oh shit oh shit._

Materializing suddenly from out of thin air, Kai stared down at her, cold fury in his eyes. His grip on her arms remained deceptively easy, but if looks were anything to go by, she should expect his hold to grow painful soon.

"Bonnie," he said, his voice hard and flat.

He looked far too much like the Kai in the other world, the angry Kai who yelled at her corpse in her grandmother's house. Bonnie struggled to get free of him. He let her go quickly, his hands up, the expression on his face one of distaste. As if she didn't need to struggle so hard, because he didn't even really want to touch her.

She backed away, hugging her arms close to her body as she looked at him suspiciously.

"What're you doing here?" she asked, even as she knew it was completely the wrong thing to say.

He chuckled, his brows raised as he pointed to himself. "Really? You're gonna ask me that?" He kept laughing, a hollow, dead sound, nothing at all like what she'd heard before. "I'm here to see about my ward. Seems somebody's been messing with it." His face turned menacing. "You have any idea who?"

Bonnie closed her eyes, trying to reconcile the man before her with the man she'd eaten breakfast with. "Kai..."

This was her worst nightmare, and she hadn't even known it until just at that moment. He was pissed and what was going through her head were all the versions of himself that had died. She didn't know what to do.

Her. Witch extraordinaire, Mystic Falls champion and protector. Caught red-handed with no plan of action.

"I looked for you all over when you ran away earlier." His expression was closed off. "Then I-got sidetracked, you could say. Good thing, I guess." He shook his head. "Otherwise, I would've just been following you around like some damn puppy. That was the point, right?" He indicated to her with a careless wave of his fingers. "Let's toss this one at Kai, give him something new and shiny as a distraction."

"Nobody planned this," she insisted. "I was supposed to avoid you. My friends don't even know-"

"That we played tonsil hockey? Why not? You ashamed?"

She frowned. "No, I-I didn't want to give them anything more to worry about."

"Why?" he demanded. "What the hell is going on? What're you people doing here?"

Wringing her hands, she started pacing. "That's not for me to say!" she said, wishing she could tell him everything. She needed to find Liv. She turned to him. "Come with me."

"What?" he said, snorting in disdain. "Why, you gonna take me somewhere, flash me a boob, and hope that I walk willingly into a trap that you and your friends set?"

"No!" she said, disgusted.

"Cuz I don't let little Kai do that much of my thinking for me, Bon," he said, giving her one of his lazy, toe-curling looks.

It didn't mean anything now, though. Behind it was a wall of hostility that she couldn't break through.

"I thought we could go and talk to Liv together," she began, trying to speak calmly. "She can explain-"

"You guys should've really thought about that-oh, I don't know-weeks ago?" His eyes were knowing. "Before you went with a half-assed plan to lie to everybody here."

Why, when he said it, did it seem so reasonable? Why hadn't Liv brought him in on the plan? She wished she could go back in time and have another conversation with her friend. Liv had trusted Luke enough. But he was her twin, and not to mention, no history of instability there. Kai was another story entirely.

"The Mystic Falls Three Amigos," he said snidely. "You're all hiding something about Tyler. You're a witch, Matt is-well, useless, mostly, but handy as a getaway car driver. Am I right?"

"Liv-"

"Is not here. You are. Tell me, Bonnie."

There was a crack in his voice, and when she met his eyes again, she could see a flash of something desperate there.

What if she did just give in and bare everything to him? Their conversations had revealed someone who was nothing if not adaptable. His grandfather's influence had tempered him. Maybe they had a chance here. Liv even had hope that things would change with Kai at the helm of the coven. Bonnie was on the verge of caving, her mouth half-opened to let everything spill out, when the imagess fired into her mind's eye-

 _...Damon, burning to death in mid-air outside her grandmother's house._

 _...Tyler, forced into his wolf form._

All at the hands of the man who stood before her now.

 _...Damon chopping Kai's head from his neck._

 _...Cradling Kai in her lap, treating his werewolf bite._

Like the rest of his coven, Kai hated vampires and werewolves. And the loathing seemed to be a mutual thing, at least in those other worlds.

Flinching, shaking herself, she grabbed her head with her hands, squeezing through her hair, grimacing in concentration at the man in front of her.

Maggie's 'message' was driving her crazy.

She willed herself to see only him. "You, just you," she whispered, and she stumbled over to him and took his hands.

He stood resolutely unmoved, no matter how tightly she clasped his fingers.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Kai, please."

"No, Bonnie," he said mockingly. " _I'm_ sorry. This is gonna hurt."

She gasped, sharp pain radiating from her hands and spreading through her arms, to her entire body, like her blood was being ripped out from every pore. "Ahh, stop!" she cried out, doubling over, leaning against him, growing faint.

He stole her magic.

Tears of pain brimming in her eyes, she tried to pull her hands away. But he wasn't letting go. The slow, burning sensation grew stronger, until it felt like she was being flayed alive, inch by inch as her magic seeped out.

Was he going to kill her?

Some part of her found it funny. She remembered her other self, knife in hand, aiming for his heart. That one had been the worst, had made her feel like vomiting ever since the image got planted in her head. And now, here he was, trying to suck her magic dry and turn her into an empty husk, all without breaking a sweat.

Her head lifted, and she managed a glimpse of his face through her tears.

The pain suddenly vanished.

His hands fell away, horror and shock and wonder warring in his gaze. His eyes dropped to his hands as he flexed his fingers. Thunder suddenly boomed somewhere in the distance, as clouds began to form directly above them.

"Oh, my God," he said softly. "Who _are_ you?"

She caught her breath, backing away from him as her weakness subsided. "Bonnie Bennett," she said. "You asshole."

She furrowed a brow, and his body swerved up several feet in the air, hovering a second, before crashing down with extra force, landing hard on the ground. It knocked the breath out of him.

There went all her well-intentioned ideas to never hurt the guy. She breathed deeply, willing her shaking body to still.

Presently he groaned, then laughed. He tried to roll onto his side, but she saw the effort cost him and he groaned some more.

She debated leaving him there. That was the plan, after all. Least resistance. She could run, grab her friends, warn Liv and Tyler, and hightail it out of the estate and be at the airport in half an hour.

"Cracked a rib there, Bon," he said, cackling once again and sounding, to her ears, like he'd gone off the deep end.

It made her pause. Against her better judgment, she walked over to him.

He had blood coming out of his mouth.

 _Oh, God._

Dropping quickly to her knees, she took his hand. Channeling him because her magic was weak, she muttered the quick words that would locate where the fracture was and heal any punctures in his organs. She was surprised that he didn't resist, instead letting his essence flow easily through her, an unfamiliar but potent thing that made her own magic stir briskly to life, her blood pulsing with zest and her heart beating in hyper-rhythm. Ages had passed since the last time someone else's magic had blended with hers, and while she remembered the rush of shared power, she couldn't think of a time when it had been like this. As if the very fiber of her was rearranging, molecule by molecule, giving her weightlessness, offering her an unbearably light taste of existence.

Not only could she get high from it, she could almost die happy this way.

 _...She and Kai collapsing on the ground, blood pooling on their faces, hands still clasped as their magic leaked out from their dying bodies._

Releasing his hand, she wiped off the blood trickling away from his mouth. His face appeared daze, even a little blissful. Probably he'd felt some of what she had. Maybe more, since he'd stolen some of her magic just moments before. His high had possibly been better than hers.

She could only eye him mutely, resisting two equally strong urges, one to strangle him with her bare hands, the other to burst into tears.

Because no matter how brutal this was going to get, she didn't want him dead.

Enough worlds were out there, that no longer had Kai Parker in it. The thought made her chest ache and her head scream.

Her face must have looked odd, because he sat up quickly, clearly no longer in pain. She heard him swallow audibly, caught him make a small move towards her, as if wanting to offer comfort. But in the end, he resisted it.

They sat there in the woods, just studying each other in silence.

"So this is all went to shit," he said in a conversational tone, finally, idly brushing off the dirt from his now-rumpled tux. "What did you do to my ward?"

"Added a door."

"Clever. Why?"

She looked away. "It's not what you think."

"Oh, you have no idea what I'm thinking, Bonnie _Bennett_."

She glared at him. "My friends and I aren't here to kill you, your coven, or help your Dad stop the wedding."

His jaw clenched.

"That pretty much cover your thoughts?"

He stood, then offered her a hand. She ignored it, as she stayed crouched on her knees.

His jaw grew even tighter. "Okay," he muttered. "Guess I deserve that."

Her thoughts were racing. What surprised her was how completely unequipped she'd been for this scenario. She'd almost gotten caught so many times by him, he was not a stupid man, so why hadn't she thought through more of how to deal with the fallout? Cut your losses and go, had been her approach from the beginning. But once she'd started fraternizing with him, those thoughts had simply fallen by the wayside.

Before last night, she hadn't been invested in trying to make him feel better.

She glowered up at the man standing above her, hating the look of betrayal on his face. It cut her deep, while making her angry. Why was he taking it so damn personally? Why was she?

Damn this coven, and their bias, and their stupid elaborate wedding celebration. Damn Kai and his persistence.

Damn Maggie for her brand of help that was more debilitating than assistive.

"You played your role perfectly, Bonnie," he said, his voice low and soft. "My head was really not in the game lately."

"It's not a game."

"'I have no powers,' you said. 'You won't find magic in me.'" He scoffed. "Technically, you didn't even lie, did you? You hid it, and offered yourself up to me all doe-eyed and innocent." He narrowed his eyes. "Where'd you put it last night?"

She looked away again.

He bent down, crouching before her on one knee, resting his elbow on his other. His fingers reached for jade pendant. "Was it here, hmm?"

She glanced down at her necklace, not really surprised that he could guess so easily now.

"That's what I would've done myself. Hide it away, but close enough to access." His fingers released the jade, but lingered on her skin under the necklace, a thumb trailing along her clavicle, before moving lower on her chest, brushing over the swell of the top of her breasts peeking out from her shirt. "Naughty girl."

Her eyes met his.

Her reaction to his touch hadn't changed. Despite him stealing her powers, a large part of her still wanted to lean into his hand. But she couldn't read a thing from him anymore. This was a power play, logically she saw through it. He was testing her. In his own sick way he needed to see what type of control he still had with her, or if she was going to attempt to assert her own control over him. A master poker face stared into hers, unyielding. Unsure of what was showing on her own, she pulled away from him and stood.

"I need to go find my friends," she said, trying not to sound defeated. She was just so damn tired. "You don't have to worry about us."

"Oh, well, that makes me feel better. You know, cuz you're so trustworthy."

She bit back an angry retort. "Just promise you won't get in the way of Liv and Tyler's wedding."

"Pretty sure I don't owe you anything, much less promises."

She had been turning to go, but whirled back around. "It's not for me, jackass, it's for your sister." She gestured wildly with her hands. "Why do you think I'm here, going to all this trouble? For the pleasure of your company?" she asked sarcastically. "Liv wants to marry the man she loves. That's why I'm here, that's why I lied to you. And I'm sorry-you have no idea how much-that you and I got into this...thing...and now it's all messy." To her horror, tears again pooled in her eyes. She wiped them away in anger. "But it's not personal. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She spun around again and tried to leave, but some unseen force halted her in her tracks.

"Kai," she said, through gritted teeth, her magic sparking out from her fingers and out around her fists, ready to counter.

He suddenly stood before her. This time, no poker face. Instead he offered her a lazy grin, his eyes gleaming with malice.

"Not so fast there, Bon. We're not done yet."

"Looks over from where I'm standing," she said defiantly.

His face shifted abruptly. "It's so weird, I can sense this," he took her hands, rubbing her knuckles, "magic pouring out here, and in the air between us, but it's not on you. Like seeing ink without the page." He kept stroking her hand. "Where's your aura?"

She said nothing, but knew she couldn't stay here like this, letting the man keep touching her when it could lead to more painful siphoning.

"Bonnie," he said, his voice hesitant for the first time. "I won't steal it again. I swear." When she looked up at him, a brief glimmer of the man she'd come to know in the past day surfaced. Gave her hope.

"Earlier in the room," he continued, "I thought I felt something, when-" he stopped.

A different kind of burn pooled in her belly, as she remembered. When he'd first pulled her bra down and taken her nipple in his mouth, a tiny bit of her magic had rushed out, out of her control. He must have been thinking of it at the exact same moment because his gaze, for the briefest of flashes, turned heated.

"I didn't think you noticed."

"Yeah, well," he said, laughing bitterly. "You distracted me."

She stepped closer unthinkingly. "Kai..." she said, her hands moving up, reaching for his face.

His eyes became shuttered again as he pulled himself away from her touch.

"You can drop the act," he said casually. "It's not going to help your friends, anyway."

She froze.

"Oh, sorry, did I forget to mention?" he asked, letting out a small chortle. "I kinda caught them, too. So I rounded up the gang. Wanna join?"

Deep down, she wanted to believe that he was bluffing her. But the radio silence from both Tyler and Matt spoke volumes. And there was her gut telling her the same.

"What did you do?" Bonnie asked in an even tone that she hoped didn't broadcast any of the ways that she wanted to throttle him just now.

"Bonnie? What's going on?"

They both turned, and Bonnie's dread swelled into a yawning, gaping hole.

Caroline stood yards away, within the confines of the ward.

"I found the..." Bonnie knew she almost said 'door,' as Caroline's small voice trailed off. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

Kai laughed in disbelief. "Another of your Mystic Falls amigos?" he asked Bonnie lightly. "She the reason you tinkered with my protection spell?" Then turning to Caroline, he said dismissively. "Hey, wedding crasher."

Caroline very slowly moved forward, but Bonnie gestured with a hand and she stopped.

"Who the hell-?" breaking off, he started frowning. Bonnie watched his eyes and knew the moment his witch senses registered what Caroline was. Wrath filled his face as he looked at the blonde. When he turned his gaze back to Bonnie, it only grew.

Something in her broke a little.

He stalked towards her, pushing his face into hers aggressively.

"You piggybacked my ward," he said in a growl, "to add a door...that would let a _vampire_ in?"

"She's not here to hurt anyone," Bonnie said. "She's my friend and just wants to make sure we had a way to get out."

"Of course, just another harmless bloodsucker, right?" He moved away again, pacing angrily back and forth, before he turned his back on her, facing a nearby line of trees.

"ARGH!" He finally yelled, his hands at his sides clenched tightly.

Bonnie winced as a concussive force broke out from his form. Stumbling back from the pulse, trying not to fall on her ass, she watched as several trees bent completely backwards, branches tearing off. The circumference of grass surrounding him flattened completely.

"Bonnie!" Caroline cried.

Bonnie shook her head, waving her fingers. Magic froze her friend in place. "Stay back, Care," she cautioned.

Kai spun around, unbridled rage written all over his features.

"Yeah, _Care_ ," he said. "We got this."

Horrified, almost as if in slow motion, Bonnie saw his hand came up, fingers snapping. Caroline's neck twisted loudly, cracking. His hand stretch out towards her friend, as his other hand grabbed her own shoulder.

His eyes closed. The world spun momentarily, and her body lurched. The grounds disappeared.


	13. Chapter 13

**_CHAPTER THIRTEEN_**

The disorientation lasted only seconds. With another quick lopsided turn of her insides, she suddenly found herself standing beside a stone entrance leading to a path surrounded by wildflowers. She fought back dizziness, her eyes taking in the oversized, cheerful-looking cottage with a large wraparound porch, the bright windows of the house warm and welcoming.

And then Kai's angry face suddenly filled her entire field of vision.

Her hand came up, flinging him through the air, a resounding crack reaching her when his back hit an enormous weeping willow tree behind them. Gritting her teeth, she waved both hands. Heavy, thick roots slithered over and around him to keep him in place, squeezing tightly.

"Garghh!" He strained against the bonds.

Her eyes sought Caroline, but her friend was nowhere to be found.

"Where is she?" she demanded.

He eked out a chortle, his face trapped between massive roots.

"Oh, she could be anywhere," he managed with a spiteful laugh.

Bonnie slid a glance towards the house. She hesitated, sensing a trap.

"Come on, Bon," he said cajolingly. "Let me go so we can hash it out civilized. I'll even make you a sandwich."

"Why aren't you fighting me back?" she asked, stepping cautiously forward.

He narrowed his eyes. "So violent," he muttered, then smiled. "I aim to please."

An overwhelming cold overcame her, abrupt and complete. "Gahhhh," she gasped. Her hands and feet became numb, her lips chattering uncontrollably.

Glancing down, she found her fingers stiff and rigid.

"Not feeling so hot?" he asked. "That's the hypothermia."

She cut her eyes at him, and he grimaced in pain when several splinters broke off the roots around his head, piercing into his neck and cheeks, one dangerously close to his jugular vein. At the same time, his eyes suddenly rolled, and he gasped, clearly struggling for breath as it came out in shallow pants. The muscles on his neck retracted in obvious distress.

Rapid onset of epiglottitis. Not fun.

They faced off, and through the cloud that was settling over her brain, Bonnie felt her organs bit by bit failing. Slowly, she fell to her knees, the movement jerky from the delayed nerve signals traveling through her icy body.

"Dammit, Bonnie," he choked out, his face red and splotchy, veins grotesquely distended in his neck.

The cold left her then. Blinking, she breathed out several deep breaths, nausea hitting her as warmth and feeling returned piece by piece to her limbs. She flexed her fingers and sighed.

With a wave of her hand, she dropped one of her spells. Kai inhaled lungfuls of air, but remained trapped against the tree. Casting him a slit-eyed glare, she stood and turned to leave.

"Had enough?" he called out to her.

"I'm going to find my friends," she said over her shoulder, stomping towards the house. "Then I'm getting the hell away from you." Before she changed her mind about keeping her promise to Liv.

Because clearly, she'd been wrong earlier. She could easily imagine killing the guy.

Halfway down the path bordered by wildflowers, she suddenly faltered. "What-?"

She glanced around, perplexed because it felt like air had just escaped her shoulders, as if she'd just been depleted of something. She brought up two fingers experimentally.

The leaves on the ground swayed.

 _Still have my magic._

"Something off?" came the low, almost musical baritone from behind her.

Rolling her eyes, she turned her face up to the sky and sighed.

 _Universe, you suck._

Freed of the tree roots, Kai put his hands in his pockets as he sauntered up to stand beside her. She noted the splinters stuck all over his neck, the side of his face, and his hair.

It didn't make her feel an iota of guilt, as she lifted her hand to send him flying away from her. But he didn't budge an inch. Nothing happened.

Perplexed, she gazed at her fingers.

"No place like home," Kai said, his own sigh full of contentment as he smiled down first at her fingers, then at her. "Especially one wrapped under generations of protective spells. And my own recent defensive wards."

She scowled at him.

He indicated behind his shoulder with a tilt of his head. "Soon as you walked past the entrance stones, you kinda put yourself within range of the ward. Can't use your magic against me anymore, Bonnie." His smile grew. "But it's cute seeing you try."

She backed away from him, wishing she could club herself in the head for her stupidity. A feeling of abject despair settled over her, as she looked around, seeking escape.

"Come on," he said, stepping up to the porch. "Here, I'll even play fair. Tyler and your cop boytoy are inside. You can come in and see for yourself that I didn't kill them, but with the knowledge that once you set foot inside, you're stuck here until I decide otherwise." He shrugged as he eyed her from the top step. "Or you can walk back out past those stones, return to the lodge, cut your losses and run. Who knows? Maybe I'll be nice to your friends."

Some choice. Bonnie thought briefly of portaling back to Liv. Maybe she could come talk sense into her lunatic brother. But that would give him too much window of time alone with her friends, who were helpless here.

Bonnie climbed the steps, sending him daggers through her eyes.

As she stood waiting for him to open the damn door, she caught him eyeing her, scoffing a little as he nodded to himself.

"What's wrong, Kai," she said bitingly. "Can't understand my choice? Probably because you never had a friend to cover your back."

He had been reaching for the knob, but stilled at her words. The flash of misery on his face was quick, but absolute.

 _...tossing a wave behind her back, she made him fall on his face with her magic. His head and face came up, mouth spitting sand, and she ran off laughing, as he gave chase..._

Remorse gripped her. "Forget I said that," she muttered, her eyes on his shoes.

She'd never felt so miserable herself.

"What do you even care, huh, Bonnie?"

She met his gaze, and then her eyes caught on the splinters again. Her hands came up almost without her realizing it. She was shocked that he didn't shy away, and she would have continued to reach for him, to put her hands on the skin of his neck, but a brief flash of his siphoning abruptly shot to the top of her brain. Pulling her hands back, a frown crossed her face as she left them to hover over the sides of his head. He looked at them, then her eyes, and she could tell that he had guessed her thoughts, because his gaze became just a touch shame-faced.

"I said I wouldn't siphon you again," he said under his breath.

Nodding, she closed her eyes briefly, mentally casting her spell. The splinters dissipated, the small pinpricks of blood on his skin closing into neat wholeness once again.

The world fell quiet, as they stared at each other. He didn't smirk, or scowl, or attempt to even hide the look in his eyes. Which she suspected was reflected in her own.

Exhausted, utter mystification.

She caught him swallow once, then twice, his head shaking a little as if to clear it. His hand moved towards the knob again. Opening the door, he stepped aside to wave her in, avoiding eye contact. "Mi casa es su casa," he said, in a tone missing its usual lightness.

The doors opened to a long hall, with spindle stairs on the left. Well-worn but polished pinewood floors creaked beneath their shoes. They made their way down the hall, passing a formal living and dining room to the left, and several closed doors on the right. The walls were bare save for hanging lamps and a mirror.

Kai led her to the right at the end of the hall, through an arch that opened into a combination family room and kitchen.

The first thing she saw there were Matt and Tyler's sleeping forms on the floor. Tyler was a pale, sweaty mess, his skin hot to touch.

Her eyes flew to Kai.

"Wasn't me," he said automatically, hands going up.

"I know."

She shook her head, brows knitting together as she wondered what the hell had happened to Tyler last night. Because ever since returning from the bachelor party, everything about him was off.

"Why are we here?" she asked. "We need to bring him back to Liv."

"We're here because this is the safest place I can think of where I can find out what your crew is up to." He settled himself at a barstool by the kitchen island. "I didn't want witnesses."

"To what, our execution?"

His jaw tightened. "What the hell is a Bennett doing hanging around vampires, anyway? I thought your ancestors broke that habit over a century ago?"

How he said that grabbed her attention. Here was another person who seemed to have personal knowledge about the Bennett ancestry. It always appalled her, that everything having to do with the Bennetts, their bloodline and history, appeared to be nothing more than an easy-access open-book public domain tool for use. Grams had told her movers and shakers always made the pages, the implication being that most Bennetts were such, but to Bonnie, the boast fell flat. All it told her was that her people had been too flashy, practicing too little stealth.

Clearly, she had inherited that weakness. She turned thoughtful eyes on Kai, but he glanced away, sullen, his magic swelling around the room as if in warning.

Note to self, she thought. Prod him about his personal history with the Bennetts later.

"Where's Caroline?" she asked again.

He was conspicuously silent. Alarm bells rang all over her head, and she backed away from him, her steps taking her around the house. She fled up the staircase, turning from room to room, but upstairs all she found were bedrooms, empty but invitingly warm and cozy, staged like bed and breakfast guest rooms.

"Where the hell is she, Kai?" she shouted once she returned downstairs, not stopping in her quest to find her friend.

All the doors offered nothing but closets and pantries, and one powder room.

Only one door remained, at the end of the long hall towards the back of the first floor. Glancing behind her, seeing Kai wasn't following, she tried the knob, found it locked, and magically busted inside, thankful that it wasn't protected by a ward.

It led to a cellar, the long, dark stairs below her feet seeming to plummet endlessly into pitch black below.

 _Just like a horror movie._

Drawing a quick breath, she descended. At the bottom of the steps, with the last faint light behind her, she held up a hand. _Phesmatos lux_ , she thought, bringing to life a small a small amber sphere in the middle of her palms. She dropped her hand, and the sphere grew larger, hovering by her shoulder, following her movements.

Empty wooden crates lined one corner of the cellar, and in another, what appeared to be various collections of furniture, draped in covers, giving off a disused, almost haunted cast to the room, exactly the finishing touch creepy cellars everywhere needed. If her luck kept up, any moment now a wild-haired, white-faced ghost would be jumping out in attack.

 _Yeah, keep having those cheerful thoughts, Bon._

She swept her gaze around the room.

"Caroline?" she called out.

Silence.

Bonnie shook her head, about to turn to go when she spied something on the very back wall, her little ball of light offering a shadow of something there that appeared ominous. Nearing it, she found a stone half-wall, set up in the part of the room that was off to the side, creating a niche. Something hanging over the wall gave off the grotesque shadows.

Approaching it, she squinted to better make out the item.

Manacles. They hung from a board along the top edge of the wall, all of them appearing rusty. There were at least three of them. One of the sets looked too small even for her.

Like they were used on child-sized wrists and ankles.

"Oh, God." Her breathing slowed, as horror dawned on her.

She looked around the corner, saw a metal tray off to the side of the floor, next to a straw-like mat covered by a thin sheet. On the walls she saw tiny scrapes and cuts, like someone had used something sharp to make grooves on the plaster.

Peering closer, all she could make out were random games of tic tac toe, and then, on several places, the initials K and P.

Bonnie closed her eyes, revulsion settling in her abdomen, spurring her magic to angry life.

"Found my time out corner, didja?" came the light, teasing tone behind her.

Bonnie opened her eyes, barely hearing him. All she could see was a red haze of madness. Why was this still here-what was wrong with him-who would want to keep these memories of misery and abuse?

Why the hell was Joshua Parker still head of the coven?

"Time out corner?" she repeated faintly.

She almost laughed in delirium, recalling how much she had loathed being sent to her room without TV privileges, those times when she acted out for her father's attention. Because with no mother and a workaholic dad barely around, she had gone out of her way to be as behaved as possible, and then turned around and acted like a brat the two times a year that her father took vacation. As if, once she had his attention, she didn't quite know what to do with it, and being out of her comfort zone put her on edge.

She was still the same.

In her wrath, she turned and faced Kai.

He stood near the bottom of the stairs, his face devoid of all emotion. "You're not the first person to hate my ability." He moved further into the cellar, hands in his pockets. "That was my designated hang-out spot, when I was a bad little magic stealer."

The sphere of amber light glowed brightly once, twice, hovering between them.

"Bonnie-"

"Your father did this to you," she said, her voice low with fury.

He stepped forward, frowning. "Not really any of your business."

"Kai."

He blinked, as the sphere changed, mutated, became several large fireballs, burning red, then orange and yellow, then a pale blue. It split, then multiplied, its movements becoming frantic.

"Bonnie!" He held a hand out, as if warding himself from a hit, but the flames moved away from him.

Switching color one last time to a bright blue-white, the flames shot all at once towards the corner of the cellar, engulfing the stone wall. It quickly traversed along the ground to the metal tray and the straw bed, eating up the rest of the walls.

Soon that part of the room was encased in the bright eerie fire, its glow and heat reaching Bonnie. Amazing, she couldn't help thinking, not bothered by it, no part of her even hurt by its touch. Instead, she turned her face up, enjoying the caress of the nearby flames. They had never burned so brightly before.

She felt hands pulling her back, landing her against a warm body. Kai.

Even though she was already sweating from the warmth of the fire, Bonnie leaned into him, as one of his arms reached out. Parts of the ceiling broke off, revealing a metal pipe bending downwards, water pouring out of its opening. He flicked his wrist and the small trickle became a torrent, completely drenching that corner of the room. Some of it reached them, water splashing part of her shirt and the lapels of his tux.

Presently, all that was left of the area was a charred mess of nothing. The stone wall, the manacles, everything that had once been the objects of his imprisonment...all disintegrated by her fire. With another flick of his wrist, the water petered out.

It took a moment for the reality of what she'd done to set in.

"Wow," she breathed. "That's gonna be really expensive replumbing."

And then it hit her, that her words were partially muffled, and she realized half her face was pressed against his jacket. Gingerly, she moved away from him.

When she looked up, he seemed to be struggling for words, a strange light in his eyes as they moved across her own.

"Not to mention the carpentry work," he said, finally.

But his face was still weird, definitely not any expression she'd seen before. Not angry, or malicious, not playful, or hurt, and also for sure not the sex-on-legs look that he wore like armor sometimes. No, this was... _meaningful_.

The kind that prefaced serious questions and weighty discussions, all of which she couldn't possibly handle just now. Because this wasn't all about what she'd gleaned from Maggie; some of it had to do with wanting to protect the people she cared about, and Kai-she realized reluctantly-had somehow drifted a little bit into that category at some point in the last day. And despite his current actions, clearly he hadn't lost his new footing with her.

Shaking her head, trying to will clarity in it, she turned and walked back up the stairs. She glanced back to find him still standing in the same spot gaping up at her.

"Where," she said, her voice almost a growl, "is Caroline?"

"Outside," he said instantly. "Still knocked out. She's fine for now."

The 'for now' didn't sound promising.

He approached the stairs. "I promised you a sandwich," he said warily.

Completely involuntarily, her face scrunched up in a 'what the fuck' expression. "I'm not hungry!"

And right on cue, just then, her stomach rumbled. Loud.

Smugness lighting his features, he walked up to stop a few steps below her. "Lunch will clear our heads."

"I will _bash_ you in the head," she cried. "With or without magic. Let me and my friends go!"

He ignored her, skipping up the stairs.

* * *

Food, Kai knew, always made everything better.

Standing in front of the kitchen counter, he readied the finishing touches on the two roast beef sandwiches.

Although the Parker country house was no longer anyone's primary residence since his mother's death, a housekeeper regularly came by to maintain the place and re-stock the fridge with groceries. Mainly, this was for Kai. In the last couple years, he'd taken to occasionally using the house as his hidey-hole, when Portland became overbearing. The irony wasn't lost on him, that when he wanted to get away from the urge to inflict violence on others, he ran to the childhood home that was filled with memories of his father's whippings.

Before her death, his mother had renovated most of the common living spaces, including the kitchen. Stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, designer cabinets with crown molding and soft-close drawers, a large kitchen island with double bowl farmhouse sink-she hadn't spared any expenses. According to his siblings, the kitchen had become his mother's haven in the last couple years before she died. He had a hard time believing it, recalling that for most of his youth, she'd always been too preoccupied to cook much of the family meals. If they weren't ordering out, then Jo or Rachel were the ones slaving away in the kitchen.

He himself had helped every so often, when the mood hit him. He remembered how much joy he'd taken, imagining that his recipes were laced with poison. Once, he'd even gotten his hands on a packet of arsenic, courtesy of his high school buddy. He'd cooked up a feast for everyone, smoked beef brisket with Gouda potatoes au Gratin, and they'd all eaten it up. He'd gotten a kick later, upstairs eating his dinner alone in his room, as he did every night, imagining his parents and siblings downstairs face planting one by one on the dining table, all dead. He had spiked just the teeniest amount of the white powder into the pot. It hadn't been enough to do permanent damage, of course. Everyone thought the stomach flu had hit. Kai himself had gotten sick, but only a little because his father usually only allowed him meager portions of every meal. And it had been worth it, because Joshua Parker had gotten it the worst, spending three days alternating between vomiting and diarrhea. Because while Kai's ration had been half a plate at best, Joshua had eaten three platefuls.

Grimacing at the memory of it, Kai brought the back of his hand up to rub tiredly at his eyes, before washing his hands and serving up the plates and drinks.

One for himself, and one for the woman currently seated on a stool at the other end of the island, shooting him the world's sharpest death glare. Whatever method she was using to conceal her magical presence was obviously still in place. Didn't take a genius to picture how angry her aura probably would've come across right about now.

Whistling, he joined Bonnie at the island.

He took several bites before noticing that her plate remained untouched.

"Not hungry?" he asked.

"Did you sprinkle it with rat poison?" she asked sweetly.

He chewed slowly, his eyes arrested on hers. Sometimes, she really did seem to be on the exact same mental wavelength as him. It was bothersome, to say the least.

"Fun fact," he replied. "Rats can remember the taste of poison. So if you don't kill that sucker on the first try, you gotta change up the mix for next time."

She fixed him with an angry scowl.

"Fun fact two," he said, maintaining the flow of discussion. "Did you know arsenic is virtually undetectable? Can't taste it, can't smell it. It's why so many people used it to kill their rich relatives back in the day. Also why it was named the 'inheritance powder.'"

She crossed her arms.

"Fun fact three-"

"Oh, my God! Shut up!"

Sighing, she brought her hands to her face, rubbing and squeezing the sides of her cheek, making her look like a kid for a second. Then she picked up her sandwich and took a bite. He smiled.

When her face registered surprise then pleasure after that first bite-because he made awesome sandwiches-his smile grew wider.

If he could only forget the last hour, he could almost imagine that this was a normal lunch. She was here with him, eating the sandwich he'd made for her, enjoying his company, and presently they would be heading upstairs to his room, and christening it for the first time.

The thought put a scowl on his own face. He felt it grow, as he worked on his remaining sandwich, eating carefully so he wouldn't get his tux dirtier than it already was.

The whole scene struck him as unreal, in the same way that he felt back when he used to watch _Twin Peaks_. When he'd been younger and stuck in the pocket world with his grandfather, it had been one of his favorite shows, outside of the ones he watched for the hot girls like _Baywatch_. First, he'd watched it because he dug the doctor's daughter, and then he'd kept tuning in because he it showed the hypocrisy of small-town life and how everyone perfect was really seedy and full of shit. It called to him, reminded him of his family and the coven.

Here he was lunching with Bonnie, whom an hour ago, he'd wanted to bury himself inside, because with her he could appreciate the cliche of bad boy drawn to good girl, and it was a pleasant surprise that something like that could happen to him. Malachai Parker, former scourge of the earth. Except...Bonnie, after all, maybe wasn't that good. And he, former scourge, had kind of been played, like the green, gullible, giving-benefit-of-the-doubt schmuck that he normally wasn't.

She was a fucking Bennett.

When he'd gone out to investigate what happened to his ward, it had come as a shock to find that the spell he used to point out the source of the problem led to Bonnie. And when she'd finally shared her real identity, it really felt for a moment there like he was having an-out-of-body crisis.

Damn Bennetts.

The name resonated among all covens and all witches everywhere. A family tracing back to the oldest bloodlines, so powerful and entrenched in nature, and able to wield magic with barely the bat of an eyelash as a result, that no Bennett in history had even bothered with forming a coven of their own. What use would they have for like-minded individuals to pool together in the name of strengthening their magic? No, they had that already in spades.

Too cool for school, but they had no difficulty going around sharing bits and pieces of their blood, and their expertise, and their preachy morality like the superstars they were, hoping that by their presence alone they would improve the lives and practices of other covens who lived beneath them in shadowy caves of ignorance.

Yes, Kai was sour on the Bennetts.

And absolutely detested the fact that, deep in every single one of his two hundred and six bones, he _still_ wanted to bury himself inside of this newest member of the clan. Possibly the worst one yet, when it came to the terrible impact she was having on his sanity.

Or at least a tie to the one that came before her, the one who was the primary reason why he held such prejudice against them. Because it boiled down to one thing: a talented, powerful lady by the name of Sheila Bennett, had plotted with his father to put him down.

So on principle, he hated anyone with the name. And yet-

Bonnie in the cellar had been just about the best fucking thing he'd ever seen in his life. Certainly she became the best memory he'd ever had of that damn cellar, period. Hell, of this entire house. It almost-just-made his years of torment there worth it, to have those few minutes of her lighting up his own personal corner of hell with her weird, wonderful white-hot flames. And her face, radiant with magical ecstasy. He'd been too much in awe to feel aroused at the time, but in hindsight, parts of him were definitely eager to stir in remembrance. Appropriately, the image was now burned into his memory, like a permanent brand that he knew he could turn to and hold in comfort on his worst days.

Rather like an abnormally sweet and satisfying piece of scar tissue.

But still-she was a Bennett. And a Bennett who called vampires friends. Generations of her ancestors had probably not only turned over in their graves, but were even now probably trying to claw their way out, hoping to reach their apparently lost cause of a descendant.

"We need to help Tyler," Bonnie said now, for the fifth time since they'd arrived.

"Sure. Once you've given me answers. Is he a vampire, too, like a new breed that seems human?" he couldn't help asking, even though logically he knew that wasn't it.

"No. You still haven't told me where exactly Caroline is outside." That one she'd repeated about six times.

Kai took a sip of his drink. Right now, Bonnie was calm. That hadn't been the case earlier. He cracked a stiff muscle in his neck, rubbing a hand in memory of the splinters that had poked along the skin there. Her fixing it had gone a long way towards improving his mood. Because between being enraged by everyone's deception and his own growing hunger, he'd lost a bit of perspective. And no matter what she had done, all the lies that had come pouring out of her mouth since the moment he laid eyes on this woman-he couldn't help but want her to clear headed too, especially for this next part of his plan.

He put his drink down, studying her. "I should remind you," he said. "How the wards here work. Your magic deactivates if you try to harm anyone with Parker blood, or tamper with any of their spells."

"What did you to her?" she repeated, her face growing more apprehensive.

For a long moment, as he took in her distress, Kai let himself wonder what it might be like to be Bonnie Bennett's friend. Or more. And then he thought of stabbing himself in the eye, because if he was going to be a masochist, he really preferred the physical torture over the mental ones.

Then again, maybe she already considered him one. How else to explain how she'd just ignited and destroyed the remnants of his father's abuse downstairs?

"We have this tire swing out in the back," he said, resting an arm casually behind the back of his stool as he leaned against it. "It's under this huge laurel oak that's been around for probably a hundred years. Gives great shade." He shrugged. "I never spent much time playing there, but my brothers and sisters were always out, running around. Used to hear them playing tag or fighting or just messing around with their magic." He bit his lip as he looked out the window in thought. "Thing is, around a certain time of day, they'd all come trekking back in, because the sun would come out. Like full force." His eyes widened, his hands forming a small circle in illustration.

Bonnie grew incredibly still, the tension in her shoulders obvious.

"At a certain time of day, the angle of the sun in the sky hits our backyard _just_ right," he tilted a hand, one eye squinting. "Not even the laurel oak gives any cover. Bye-bye, shade."

He fished in his pocket, drawing out a small ring that he lazily placed on the island counter between them.

Seeing it, Bonnie gasped, then shot to her feet. She was running out of the kitchen before the ring had even stopped clattering onto the granite.

He waited, listening for the tell tale sound of her finding where the blocking spell kept her from setting foot outside. He heard a muffled crash, followed by something breaking that sounded like a small piece of furniture colliding with the wall.

Then silence.

Within moments, she returned.

He'd had enough time earlier, when Bonnie went snooping around the house, to slip out and bind the unresponsive vampire to the tire swing, using the vervained rope that his father kept in the attic along with the other weapons against the supernatural monsters they hunted. Bonnie had probably found her friend in full-panic mode with fear written all across her face. Tethered to the tire, missing the daylight ring that gave her protection from the sun, and facing its mid-day glare but for the few branches and leaves that kept death at bay.

Just the perfect thing, to motivate someone like Bonnie.

Her face was pallid as she rejoined him at the island, and her eyes-

If Bonnie didn't hate him before, she sure did now.

Callously, he crushed the pang that grew somewhere in the vicinity of his chest, and struggled to keep up the innocent smile that he threw her way as she reclaimed her seat.

"When does she lose the shade?" she asked through gritted teeth.

He eyed his watch. "By my calculations...twenty-eight minutes." His smile vanished, as he raised his brows. "That's plenty of time for me to get my answers, Bonnie. It's all up to you."

Kai could see the wheels turning, almost even hear the exact thoughts running through her head.

"I know what you're thinking," he said. "Don't try anything. You'd only be wasting time and also, making me angry. Er."

Her gaze changed then, the seething disgust in her eyes, a look he'd grown desensitized to early in his teens, suddenly switching to something else. Not something he could place, either, but convoluted shades of obvious strong and mixed feelings she was clearly fighting down, that to him were simply unfamiliar. And made him doubt himself briefly.

 _What're you doing, asshole?_

She gave a sudden empty laugh. "I wasn't thinking of trying something. Actually, I'd almost give my left kidney to have you see into my head right now." She hugged her arms around her, and when she spoke again, it was in a strange, sad voice. "You would probably die of shock."

Was she serious?

He eyed her suspiciously, wondering if this was another trick. "I can think of a few spells that might get me there," he said carefully. "With your help, because they're tricky. But you know, it would be the quickest way for both of us to get what we want. You, the safety of your blondie BFF outside. Me, the truth. All that, and you get to keep your left kidney, to boot."

As the quiet descended, and Bonnie seemed to be contemplating the very insane but potentially wonderful idea of letting him inside her head, he realized that outside of a brief paranoid suspicion that this might be a trap-he really, really wanted this to happen. It couldn't be a more perfect solution, and not only would he finally know just what the hell was going on, but he could a get glimpse into the mind of the most deceitful, impossible, maddening woman that he'd ever had the bad luck to meet.

And he'd know, once and for all, if everything they had shared in the last twenty-four hours was all one big hoax.

Her eyes intent on his, Bonnie leaned forward. He held his breath, trying to keep anticipation in check, not wanting her to see how eager he was to hear her acquiesce. "If I do this-"

"Don't do it, Bonnie," came the rasp of a voice from the living room.

They both turned in their seats. Tyler was slowly bringing himself up to a sitting position, looking like a man half-dead. His bloodshot eyes glared at Kai.

"You want the truth, dickhead?" he said.

Kai could only blink in surprise.

"I'm a fucking werewolf. Now hurry and get the hell over it, so I can marry your sister."

* * *

 **A/N:** Moved to bottom from now on for more space.

So, is Kai's siphoning primarily him stealing other witches? Not a fan of how the show has him just conveniently sucking away all forms of magic (like siphoning the werewolf bite-wth?). I like the approach that he can steal magic from non-animate things, if magic is dormant and not active? Like he can't siphon a ward, but he can, say, a talisman that's just holding untapped power? Yeah, I'll stick with that.

Another thing, in the finale that made no sense, was one line that topped senselessness: when Kai said that he didn't believe werewolves were real. This from a guy whose family leads a coven that's been around for 2,000 years? And in all that time, the Geminis never encountered werewolves? WOW.

Also, THANKS A GAZILLION for the love, you guys are awesome. I'm happy to keep writing for this ship and I hope everyone who writes for bonkai NEVER STOPS! lol...but seriously, don't stop please. We need more writers to keep this ship alive. Anyway, we do it better than JP, truly. :)

Lastly, to bonkai addict: hope your family member in the ICU is on the mend. And tashareads: sorry to distract you from the final, hope you passed.


	14. Chapter 14

_CHAPTER FOURTEEN_

Tyler tried, he really did.

Bonnie sat on the couch in the living room, looking at her watch. Nineteen minutes until Caroline would get exposed to a lethal suntan, and here she was stuck playing audience to a deranged conversation between future in-laws. It rivaled even anything she'd seen on Jerry Springer that she used to watch years ago with Elena and Jeremy.

"Did Liv never share that our coven regularly goes around putting silver bullets in you people?"

"One of the first things she mentioned."

"That doesn't bother you?"

"I love her."

"Oh, okay, and that's reason enough that I should give you my blessing to-what, one day maul my baby sister into itty bitty bloody chewable pieces?"

The two men faced off across the island, one sitting leisurely, the other leaning haggardly, and Bonnie once again fought the urge to set Kai on fire. This wasn't a level playing field by any means.

"We've been together for almost two years," Tyler managed through a grimace. "We have a system. I wouldn't put her at risk."

"You being around her puts her at risk." Kai let out a disbelieving laugh. "And let's say, by unbelievable stroke of luck you pull off never going on a rending spree and hurting her. She'd still be with someone that carries the werewolf gene. All your kids will have it. You really want to subject Liv and them to that kind of trauma?"

Tyler looked at Bonnie then. She felt the cruelty of Kai's words, recognizing the expression on her friend's face was hopeless because he had tried using the same argument himself with Liv. A year ago, she had shown up crying at Bonnie's door. Several tubs of ice cream later, along with a bottle of Bailey's, the full story had come out. Tyler didn't want her tied to someone who couldn't father children because of the curse. But the witch hadn't been persuaded, and Tyler hadn't been able to stay away. While the topic was still a sticking point for the couple, it was something that needed to be resolved between them and nobody else.

"Not that it's any of your business or mine, Kai," Bonnie interrupted, her eyes on Tyler's agonized face. "But there's this thing called adoption? And also, this other thing called a contraceptive, in case they opt for a childless marriage? Look 'em up sometime."

His attention turned fully on her, the coldness in his gaze at war with the simmering air of magic that surrounded him. He was close to breaking point, but she didn't care, because so was she.

"We held up our end of the deal," she said angrily. "You got your answers. Give me back Caroline's ring."

"Your story is full of holes."

Tyler's sigh came out more strangled than anything. He finally slumped into the seat that Bonnie had vacated.

"Who else was in on this?"

She and Tyler exchanged another glance, and Bonnie crossed her arms belligerently at Tyler's small nod. "Why, you wanna go round up more people to join our happy lunch party?" she taunted.

"Bonnie..." Tyler began, in tones of surrender.

"Liv had to have had someone else in her corner," Kai said, ignoring the other man. His eyes were speculative. "Tyler went through too many meetings and ceremonies in the beginning. And he passed everything with flying colors except the covenant oath." Then he suddenly laughed softly, his head shaking a little. "Luke." His laugh grew louder. "Oh, those two little pranksters. I kept catching them whispering together, but stupid me-believing Luke's story about being the junior wedding planner." He stared at Bonnie. "Both of them trying to keep me away from you."

His hand came up to his stubble, as the tic on his jaw reappeared.

Bonnie could see the hurt beneath his anger. It made her forget herself, and she rushed forward, her own ire dissipating, not caring about the glint of his magic around him, as if the air in the kitchen was trying to ignite.

"Kai," she said evenly, making sure to meet his eyes. "You weren't misled out of spite. Liv was scared of losing Tyler." Try to understand, were the words that almost left her mouth, but it was impossible, asking him to do so. Outside of his grandfather, and maybe his mother, who in his life had this man ever loved?

 _...his lips touched her ear, and his hands stroked her hair, as he coached her through labor..._

She wasn't sure what her expression revealed, but it seemed to make him uncomfortable, because he broke the gaze they shared.

Dismissively, he waved a finger and Matt suddenly snapped up from the floor, gasping deeply.

"Bonnie!" he cried, standing and rushing towards her. "Kai is-"

"Right here," he drawled. "Now pay attention." Matt stopped in confusion. "Cuz I'm only saying this once." He tossed the ring to Matt. "Backyard door is down the hall. Your vampire buddy is there, stuck on the tire swing. Give her the ring so she doesn't get a bad case of sunburn." Kai chanted something under his breath, and Bonnie caught a wisp of his magic settle over the ring. "There, that should take care of the invite. She can come inside and join my impromptu inquisition."

Matt glanced at the ring that he'd caught, then moved to Bonnie.

"Might want to haul ass," Kai said, narrowing his eyes. "Parts of her could already be roasting as we speak."

Matt's hand automatically slipped to his hip and she heard Kai exhale in annoyance. Magic seared by her, and Matt suddenly groaned, grabbing his ears.

"Kai, stop it!" she cried, her hand up, but none of her own powers came out to counter the aneurysm.

He smiled. "Can't tamper with my spells, remember?"

"Why are you doing this?" she demanded, as Matt fell to the floor on his knees, sweat on his face and blood trickling out of his nose.

"Well, he was going for his gun and I'm not really in the mood to eat bullets, Bon."

Tyler moved to stand between Kai and Matt. "He didn't bring a gun," he said, exhaustion coming through between each word.

"Seriously? What kind of moron do you guys take me for?"

"A special one," Bonnie muttered in murderous tones, as she deftly grabbed the weapon in Matt's hidden holster. She quickly aimed it at Kai, and he moved too late to duck as the taser shot out and landed on his shoulder, zapping him. He jerked and wobbled, then fell to the floor, seizing from the electricity surging into his body. Bonnie ended the charge. He lay incapacitated, but for who knew how long.

She nodded to Matt, who staggered outside with the daylight ring.

Tyler heaved himself on the sofa. "Oh, man. I feel like shit."

Forgetting Kai for a moment, Bonnie seated herself next to Tyler, closing her eyes as she let her magic wash over her friend. The healing spell worked, thank goodness, his face gaining color and his shoulders lifting slightly. But it wasn't enough. Why wasn't it? "What happened last night?"

"I got bit."

She shook her head. "No, this can't be from that. Your neck is healed. If the bite had toxins, that would've been the first thing we'd see-infection all over those bite marks."

Tyler shook his head. "Why don't we figure it out later. I gotta get back to Liv."

Bonnie shot a quick glance to find Kai still prone on the floor. He was conscious, but from the slack-jawed, empty expression on his face, his nerve signals were still all crossed thanks to the electrical stun.

"He has to be the one to bring us back, Ty."

"Bonnie!"

Looking up, they found Caroline and Matt running down the hall towards them.

"Are you okay?" asked Caroline. Then she saw Tyler. "Oh, my God. What happened to you? Did Kai do this?"

"No," Bonnie quickly said. "That's what we're trying to figure out."

"Let's bust out of here, get Liv, and think of something after we get to the airport," Tyler insisted. "We'll just go to Vegas."

"We can't," Bonnie said. "This place has protective wards up the wazoo. I already tried disabling a couple and my magic just fizzes out. I can't even leave the house." Kai had been telling the truth about that, at least. She'd been stuck on the back porch, unable to get past the screen door to get to Caroline.

"Why can't you?" Matt asked, brows slashed downwards.

"A spell traps me inside."

"Okay, but why not me?" Matt turned to Caroline. "See if it's the same for you."

Using her vamp speed, Caroline was in and out in half a second. She nodded. "Made it all the way down the road." Now she joined Matt in frowning at Bonnie. "Looks like you got the short of end of the stick, Bon."

Bonnie sighed. "What else is new?" she muttered.

Her head spun from all the intersecting issues they were facing. At the root of everything was Tyler being a werewolf. An idea took hold in Bonnie's mind, a little desperate, but the only one she had at the moment.

Caroline pulled out her phone. "I still have signal, so at least we have that." she said with fake peppiness. "I texted Liv, but I haven't gotten anything back."

"Same here," Matt said. "But I sent mine to Luke."

Caroline's worried eyes took in the rest of the house. "This place is really homey for all that it almost became the scene of my flamey death."

Bonnie managed a small smile, as she placed a comforting hand on her friend's arm.

"So what do we do with the maniac over there?" Caroline asked.

Bonnie hesitated.

"Wish I brought my tranq gun," Matt muttered. "Could've used it on him earlier and we wouldn't be here."

"I don't have a lot of time, you guys," Tyler said. "Bonnie, you got anything?"

"I can't use my magic against Kai. And I can't use a spell to get us out."

"Let's look for the keys to that old jalopy in the carport," Matt said. "We can get back to the lodge the old fashioned way."

"You guys can," Bonnie said.

"We're too far out to make it to the lodge in time," Tyler said.

"Why would he only want you stuck inside?" Matt wondered again, eyeing Bonnie.

She shook her head and raised her hands, at a loss. Conveniently, Kai started to show signs of intelligent life just then. He groaned, his arms and legs twitching back into use. Bonnie moved to crouch beside him.

His eyes held the smallest hint of accusation as she looked him over. But he still couldn't form words, or even, she suspected by the continued glazed expression, much coherent thought. And his arms and limbs kept jerking still, intermittently.

"How many volts in that taser?" she asked Matt.

"Fifty thousand," he said, his voice supremely satisfied.

A treacherous swell of concern hit her that she tried to ignore.

Kai deserved it.

"B-Bon..." he croaked, one of his fingers spasming up.

She shied away from it, paranoid that he would drain her magic again even in his current state. Brow furrowed in contemplation as she stayed beside him, she tried to work up the energy to hammer out the rest of her last-minute plan. Because so long as Tyler remained a werewolf, Kai and his coven would never let him marry Liv. It wouldn't be hard to picture how the day would end from here, if her friends had their way and just made it to the lodge on their own somehow. Once Kai was recovered, he would leave her here, follow her friends back, interrupt the ceremony, and set into motion a chain of events that would invariably lead to Tyler and the gang, at the minimum, probably getting maimed. At worst, getting killed.

She eyed her friends as they discussed options. Convincing them to go along with her scheme would be easy. Even after years of having her in their lives, the twisty turny ways that magic could go right or wrong still evaded them and they listened to her, usually. Except when Bonnie had her brave face on, in which case they might have gotten better about spotting bullshit from a mile away. But she wouldn't BS them this time, like she used to when they were younger and she wore the martyr complex like it was her favorite jacket. This time, the risks would be spelled out, as well as the reward. And this time, she was far more adept in her craft.

Her gaze fell on Kai. He was the one who would need extra persuading.

Scrutinizing his features, she was hit by the totally random, inappropriate thought that she felt sorry not only for his current condition but also for the poor state of his tux. It was now in awful shape, to match the rest of him, and she had trouble recalling his GQ-readiness just a little over an hour ago. On the heels of that thought came another, involuntarily bringing to the forefront of her mind the feeling of being in his arms, relishing his hands and mouth roaming all over her. Even after the stunt that he had just pulled on her and her friends, the memory of it still warmed her.

It should have made her sick to her stomach, but the truth was, what she had seen of the alternate versions of him made this world's Kai seem tame by comparison.

 _...his fangs gleaming sharply as it descended on Jeremy's neck..._

But then, this Kai had been so nonchalant about manipulating her using Caroline's life as bait.

Bonnie let out a little groan of frustration. Could her intuition be off? Was he as evil as the other versions of him? At least she knew her earlier misgivings about herself were wrong. She was fully capable of kicking his ass if needed, which went a long way to giving her peace of mind.

None of that, though, changed the fact that he was a huge wild card in her plan.

 _"Duratus in tempore,"_ she said, closing her eyes with a hand waving towards her friends. They immediately froze in place, and silence fell over the room. The clock in the kitchen and on the fireplace stopped ticking.

Kai was starting to recover, because his face appeared to be reacting to the new quiet around him, and his eyes turned questioning. "W-W-Whazzapen-"

She cut him off with a finger held up a few inches over his mouth. "Shh," she said impatiently, closing her eyes and attempting another healing spell on him.

Even without channeling him, her magic seemed to surge forward in anticipation, as loose tendrils escaped her and settled over his form. Slowly, his arms and legs began to move, and then his torso, before finally the expression on his face lost its slightly vapid air. Blinking, Kai remained on his back, his breath warm as it reached her still hovering finger above his lips.

She pulled it back.

His gaze when it met hers was cool and sardonic.

"You hurt me," he said. "Then you heal me. Starting to see a pattern here."

She glanced away.

"A guy can only take so many mixed signals."

Her head turned quickly back to him, but now it was him avoiding her gaze.

 _...In a cave with a beam of light surrounding their forms, as they stood in each other's arms, ending their incantation with a lingering kiss..._

She sighed, then felt a tickle on her skin. Looking down, she found the back of one of her hands lightly brushing one of his, seemingly by accident. He seemed to realize it at the same moment because he glanced up at her in surprise. She snatched hers away, her gaze suspicious. There needed to never again be any reason for touchy-feely time with this man.

He seemed to understand, holding up his hands in a small gesture of placation.

"What's this about?" He tilting his head back to her friends frozen in place. "Wanted some alone time?"

"No," she said automatically, hating that he didn't have his poker face. Instead, he gave off an appearance of an animal after it had been wounded and locked in a cage. Which, since he was technically the one calling the shots at this point, didn't seem like an appropriate reaction. "Well, yes. But to talk. Not fight. Can we at least call a truce?"

"Fine," he said curtly, following her as she pulled herself up to stand. "I'm all ears."

Despite his tone, she hoped that maybe the voltage had scrambled the asshole running amok inside him into temporary docility, at the very least.

He was studying her face, which was probably broadcasting most of her thoughts. Good.

"Life's little ironies," he said. "Being tasered sucks, just so you know. But I sort of see why you did it." He arched a corner of his mouth up in a humorless smirk. "And at least now I know your sheriff boyfriend over there wasn't really packing heat. Although..." he gestured with a flick of his head, and the taser suddenly flew out from where it lay on the table in the living room, to land in Kai's hand. "Think I'll just keep a hold of this," he finished with a wink, tucking it into his waistband.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "Careful," she said, "wouldn't want to zap yourself by accident down there."

His eyes became heavy-lidded, and he stepped nearer.

She tensed reflexively.

"I didn't get all my answers, Bonnie," he said, his voice low.

"What else is there?" she asked, incredulous.

"For starters, last night in my room, why did you really walk away?"

Her head shook, a little in disbelief. "Really? You want to get into it now?"

"And why did you set fire to my little dungeon downstairs? Hmm?"

Her eyes closed and opened in consternation. "Now is not the time."

"Oh, I don't know about that," he said, his gaze lighting all over her features. "See, talk all you like, but your eyes say different." He bent his head down. "I'm beginning to think you might have a soft spot for me."

She froze. Ruthless and cunning...Maggie's words to describe the traits he inherited from his father. Who knew what would he do, if she ever gave him an inkling that when it came to Malachai Parker, everything in her head was thoroughly, horribly muddled. Maggie's intervention certainly hadn't helped to clarify matters.

"You just threatened to kill my friends, or have you forgotten?" she said, pouring loathing into her tone. "There will never be a good time for this topic. Ever again."

Somewhat to her surprise, after a few seconds of staring intently at her, he decided to ease off. She backed away, needing space.

"Why am I the only one stuck inside the house?" she asked, hoping that he would actually indulge her with an honest answer.

He seemed to debate something, watching her closely. "One of my father's wards," he replied. "Anytime a new guest who's also a witch sets foot inside our home, they have to either pay some type of tribute to our family, or one of us has to officially release them."

What a load of crap. How the hell had anyone ever tolerated such a pompous, piece of shit bully such as Joshua Parker?

Kai smiled tightly. "My dad, the control freak."

Chewing on her lip, she eyed him. His explanation had set off a new chain of thought. "What kind of tribute are we talking?" she pressed.

He laughed softly. "Somehow I knew that would be your next question." Moving closer again, she caught just a tiny of amusement in his eyes. "Do those wheels in that pretty head never stop spinning, Bon? Ever just let go?"

When she merely raised a brow, waiting for him to answer, he sighed. "I have to accept whatever you're giving. And it's not just a matter of getting me chocolates and roses." He bit his mouth, his expression guarded. "A lot of times, the tribute was made in blood."

Undaunted, she walked over to where the gourmet knife set lay in their block. What was a little drop of blood, after all, in exchange for her freedom? Before she could slide one out, he had a hand on her arm.

"Stop," he said, rolling his eyes. "Bonnie, I said that I could also just release you. No tribute needed. You really are bloodthirsty. That, _and_ dramatic."

The oddest thing about it, his tone held a suspicious gleam of admiration.

"Am I supposed to believe you'll let me walk out of here that easy?" she pointed out heatedly. "The ceremony is supposed to start soon."

He shrugged, putting himself between the knife set and her as he fiddled with the cufflinks of his jacket sleeves.

"Did you change your mind about Tyler?"

He laughed again, his brows going up as if asking her, 'are you kidding?'

"Fine. Then here's my proposal. Help me break his curse."

The frown was instantaneous. "What the hell are you talking about?"

She sighed heavily. "Awhile back when I visited another coven in England, they gave me a set of obscure scrolls. In one of them, I found the Revoqari."

His face changed to one of supreme wariness.

"It's this spell written in Sumerian, so really old, but also versatile. You can use it for a number of things, including lifting curses."

"I'm aware of it, thanks, professor," he said, a semi-jeer in place. "But, not only does that spell have a poor success rate, very few have tried it and come out being the same person."

She raised a brow. "Scared?"

He leveled her with his best glare, but it didn't hide the trace of unease that she saw in his eyes.

"I'll do most of the work," she said. "Believe it or not, I even tracked down all of the ingredients, enough to practice. I can conjure them from my apartment. But we need a few hours. We can't do it right now."

His head swayed back and forth, then he angled the side of his face to her, as if he was making sure he heard her right. "What're you saying, you've already tried this spell before?"

She shrugged. "I sort of with tinkered with it a couple times, to see how far I could go-"

"Of course," he grunted. "You damn Bennetts and your special mojo."

There it was again, his tone of what sounded like resentment when it came to her family name. Her brow creased. "Did you meet any of my relatives?"

A pregnant silence filled the end of her question, serving as its own answer. Kai's entire demeanor switched yet again, back to how he'd been when he so casually let her know that Caroline was outside waiting to be barbecued. His magic reverted back to hostile flickering, and she could feel its tense beat against the walls.

It was a relief, in a way. She was starting to prefer cold, calculating Kai over the volatile, sex on legs version of him, or the perplexed, vulnerable one. Evil Kai fit neatly into a box that she was all too familiar with.

"If you knew me at all, you wouldn't be surprised that I've done my share of dipping into the dark arts," he said coolly, in obvious deflection. "Almost killed myself at least half a dozen times getting into things I shouldn't. Just made me try harder."

She stared with cautious curiosity. "The Revoqari doesn't fall under that category of magic."

"True," he said, laughing. "It's crazier."

Not dark or light magic, or belonging to the spirits, or tapping into the raw potential of nature. It was just a spell that tried to undo portions of reality as they existed. A matter of reaching into the thread of life and reshaping it to un-life, or vice versa. Or a better metaphor, of someone edging into a black hole, being sucked into it, and hoping that on the other end that individual exited with only a small amount of warping.

It was Expression magic. Somewhat her forte. And he had no idea.

"You're a member-scratch that-the _de facto head_ of one of the biggest covens around, and you're afraid of practicing Expression?" she scoffed. "I'm a little embarrassed for you."

His head did the quick tilt that she realized was an angry tic of his. "Reverse psychology doesn't work on me, Bonnie."

"Parts of your aura feel ancient, Kai. I know the Gemini leaders channel the spirits. That can be just as volatile."

She could tell he tried to hide it, but she didn't miss how that made his eyes widen a little.

"What're you, showing off? You had your little paws in traditional, Expression, _and_ spirit magic?" He laughed in disbelief under his breath. "Must've been such a good joke to you, everything I told you during breakfast. 'Ooh, let's see what Kai can teach a Bennett about witchcraft.'"

Why was he so hung up on their conversations like all she'd been doing was playing him for a fool? Well, yeah, she had been, mostly, but not in everything.

"Do you really think that I would've wasted my energy sitting there talking to you, just to have a laugh on my own after? I was curious. I've never spent much time with someone raised the way you've been."

There was Liv, but getting any info from her was like pulling teeth. She hated her coven and their traditions. And while Kai hadn't struck her as someone endearingly fond of it, at least he did bring to the table a rational perspective into the other side. He had an awareness of customs and history that she found appealing. And while she didn't quite agree with his thinking, she liked hearing his arguments.

"And what do you know about how I was raised, hmm? You get all the dirt about me from Liv? Or Maggie?"

Bonnie tensed, his words conjuring up her earlier encounter with the older woman. She closed her eyes for a moment, preoccupied with keeping her mind blank because the last thing she needed was to see all those worlds and delve back into the insanity, with him as witness.

"Like I said, we don't have time for this right now." She fidgeted with her pendant. "The Revoqari requires a lot of firepower. I couldn't finish it on my own but I figure, since you're essentially the leader of the Geminis, I can tap into that. It might be all that's needed to complete it properly."

"What if I don't want to help you?"

Bonnie studied him then, and she made sure her interest was all clinical. If there was one thing she was good at, it was calling someone's bluff. "I think you will," she said softly, approaching him with measured steps. "Because there's a part of you that even now wants this all to fall into place, right? You told me yourself how invested you are in seeing this wedding happen. And now, you know everything. What is one werewolf, Kai, when he's surrounded by an army of witches? Huh?"

Her gaze burned into his, the contentious gleam in his eyes turning speculative at her words.

"Deep down, you know it's nothing you and your family can't handle, hiding him away from the rest of the coven. But if you really want to throw him under the bus," her shoulder lifted in a shrug, as she backed away, "then Tyler and Liv don't get married today. Just know it _will_ happen eventually. Be ready to say goodbye to your sister, in that case, because I bet your coven will make you banish her for consorting with the enemy."

His jaw ticked, and his head angled away again in anger.

"But before all that happens," she continued. 'I'm going to try on my own, again. So maybe it won't get to that point."

He shook his head.

She huffed out a small breath in annoyance. "At least give me a chance." She gestured to Tyler. "We fix what's making him sick, let them marry, and I'll stay here to work on the spell. I should be ready for you before the reception finishes."

He scoffed. "And if it doesn't pan out?"

"It will," she said firmly.

"If it doesn't?" he pressed, stalking towards her. "The incredibly rare times the Revoqari has ever worked was when the witch casting the spell died." He gave a short, humorless bark of laughter. "You willing to do that, Bonnie? Really? Tyler and Liv are that much of an epic star-crossed love story that you'd sacrifice yourself for their happy ending?"

"I'm not sacrificing myself. This will work, Kai." She flung her hand out in irritation, circling a finger in question. "Where does magic pool strongest in the house?"

He stilled, disquiet on his face growing exponentially. "Forget it, you're not doing this."

She turned her back on him and stalked away, but he grabbed her hand from behind and whirled her back towards him. She landed roughly against his chest. "I promised not to steal your magic," he said softly, in total contrast to the ferocity in his eyes. "Don't make me break it."

"What is _wrong_ with you?" She tried to wrench free, but his grip on her arm was like iron. "I'm trying to help-"

"Wrong approach, sweetheart."

"Don't call me that," she seethed, because his blatant condescension boiled her blood. He really still thought she was a helpless, ignorant woman, the dumbass. "I'm a damn Bennett. I-I..." she almost couldn't put into words how much she hated him just then. "I _outrank_ you, you jerk!"

They eyed each other with barely concealed hostility, on her part, and on his, she saw the same but mixed with a sort of askance expression. As if she was potentially someone certifiably insane. Her having magic still hadn't fully settled over him, despite how she'd already used it on him. He had no clue that this latest idea of hers didn't even hold a candle to her past schemes. Like resurrecting Jeremy.

Coldness swept over her then, making her grit her teeth in remembrance of the price she'd had to pay for that. But that was years ago, and she had grown since then, not only as a witch but also as a member of the human race with the normal desire to avoid death.

Despite Maggie's earlier words, self-preservation ran strong in her, probably as a result of her experiences years ago. Why people continued to think that dying for her friends remained a hobby of hers, she didn't know. Once was enough.

Kai started laughing. "That was classic, Bonnie." He doubled over on the island, his shoulders shaking. "I'll remember that one."

She continued glaring, relieved that at least whatever amusement he'd gotten from it had worked to release his grip.

As he stood indulging his mirth, she clenched her hands at the futility of it all. If he wasn't willing to help her, if he was only going to get in her way, there was no other end to this mess, but for her and her friends to turn tail and go home. Even though that had been one of their expectations, and they had planned contingencies for failure-it made her ache, how close Tyler had been to finally getting some happiness. And Liv. Her heart hurt, thinking of Liv. She probably had no idea that everything had gone to hell. Even right now, Liv was probably already on her way to the grove where the ceremony was to take place.

All of a sudden, to Bonnie's utter disgust, tears welled up in her eyes. As his laughter died down, she tried to keep her nose from running and fought to hold in a sniffle. "Ugh," she grumbled, then left the kitchen discreetly to grab tissues from the bathroom.

She was drying her tears and wiping her nose, registering with no surprise whatsoever how god-awful her wedding make-up had ended up, and that her eyes were beginning to grow puffy-when Kai suddenly slipped in through the open door to stand behind her.

Fighting an automatic urge to shove him outside, she curled her lip in hate, glowering at his mirror image. "Ever heard of privacy?"

His eyes were shuttered.

"Get out," she said flatly.

"We fix whatever's wrong with him," he said harshly. "They marry today, and no matter how long it takes us, you help me work on another way to separate his wolf form from him."

She stopped breathing, managing a nod.

"Give me your word you won't go near the Revoqari again."

"You have my word," she said.

"I mean it, Bonnie." He stepped closer, his hands raised, hovering over her shoulders as if he wanted to wrap them around there, but he didn't, because she winced away from his touch.

His jaw hardened. When he spoke again, his breath tickled her ear, but his voice was grim. "Don't lie to me. Not about this."

Their eyes held in the mirror for an untold length of time, all the while her heart beat so fast and loud she imagined he could hear it, too.

She turned around. When their gazes met face to face neither of them tilted their heads towards each other. Her eyes looked guardedly up into his as he glared down with austerity. It made her feel a little as if she was being rebuked, his whole manner so severe she almost wondered if she had hallucinated him cackling away just minutes ago.

"I promise," she said slowly.

He nodded. The air between changed, the harshness in his face melting slowly, as his fingers reached up to brush away the wetness on her lashes. She didn't shrink away this time, and his fingers were quick and deft, and then it was over. His hands drifted back down.

Then he backed away, disappearing down the hall.

Bonnie remembered to breathe again.

"So," he called from the living room, the lilt in his voice back to normal. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Blinking quickly, almost unable to believe what just happened, she rushed out to join him. He stood over Tyler, inspecting the other man's gaunt face.

Kai gestured to him with a hand, turning a befuddled face to her. "Zombie groom."

"My healing spell didn't last long," she muttered.

"I worked my own on him earlier. I mean, I know I'm just a lowly Gemini mage, not too high up on the hierarchy compared to other names," he said with an ill-concealed smirk, and she rolled her eyes at his obvious bait. "But usually, my healing spells? They're groovy."

"We wasted time arguing about Tyler being a werewolf instead of figuring out what's making him sick," she pointed out, knowing it was petty considering the magnitude of his compromise. But right now she felt unnerved and reverting to irritability helped.

Kai lifted and dropped one shoulder. "Lift your freezing spell, tell your buddies I feel slightly less homicidal towards them, and we'll go from there."

She tossed two fingers back in a quick wave. Suddenly the conversation among her friends that had been paused several minutes ago, resumed its beat.

"-blur out with Tyler, come back and get you..." Caroline trailed off, suddenly confused when she spotted Kai and Bonnie standing together by Tyler. "Wait, what just happened?"

Tyler shook his head, eyeing Kai distrustfully. "With the luck we've been having? Probably something bad."

Matt grimaced and, not surprisingly, went straight to the source. "Bonnie, what did you do?"

Drawing a breath, ignoring Kai's eyes on her face, she turned to offer them her most reassuring nod. "Well, see, we reached a comprom-"

"We kissed and made up," Kai interrupted with a blazing smirk.

Two sets of eyes went round and wide and shocked, while Tyler arched a brow, conveying his bewilderment in that one action, before gaping at Bonnie with an expression that clearly said, 'wait til Liv hears this.'

 _Dammit, Kai._

She shot him a look of pure irritation.

"Turns out, I'm a little more open-minded than I used to be," he expanded. Then he looked at his watch. "I can stand here and explain it slowly with single syllable words so everyone understands, but-well, Tyler's got a bride waiting. And Bonnie and I really need to improve the look of death on his face." He smiled smugly. "So let's save the questions for later, ye-"

Kai's head jerked back, as if he'd been punched in the face. Then his head snapped to the side again, an angry crack reaching Bonnie's ears that made her wince. He brought a thumb up, swiping at the blood trickling under his nose. His smile turned deadly, and he started chuckling.

And immediately flew backwards, sailing through the air and crashing clear down the hall, a loud thud telling everyone he'd hit something hard.

A collective gasp went around the room, as everyone gawked.

Liv suddenly appeared before them from out of thin air, her resplendent white bridal gown completely at odds with the furious grimace in her face. They heard the front door slam open, and then Luke ran in.

"Oh, good, you guys are okay," he said breathlessly. "What'd we miss?"

* * *

 **A/N:** How's everyone after the weekend? I'm guessing most of us saw the KG/CW panels on youtube. Are we all okay? Not sure if I am, especially after that speed dating scenario. So damn cute, and yet painful. LOL

EDITED: Shoutout to Leia1naberrie for spotting the invite goof! You rock. :)


	15. Chapter 15

**_CHAPTER FIFTEEN_**

Caroline easily held Liv back from storming the hall to finish unleashing her wrath on Kai.

While she did so, Bonnie turned to Luke, shaking her head. "Cavalry needs to work on their timing," she said dryly.

Matt blew out an exasperated breath. "Your brother was just about to bring us back to the lodge," he said.

Luke's eyes widened, and Liv suddenly stopped struggling. "What?" Liv demanded. "Say that again."

Caroline let go cautiously. "He was sending us all back to the lodge." Then she hesitated. "And I think he was giving the okay to the marriage?" She looked at Bonnie questioningly.

Bonnie nodded her confirmation, pursing her mouth in aggravation.

"H-How is that possible?" Liv said. "I thought for sure, Tyler would at least be missing his lower limbs by now."

Luke eyed Bonnie. "What happened? We got a text from Caroline saying he kidnapped you guys, and she was stuck in the backyard waiting to get roasted."

"Yeah, that happened," Tyler said, waving an arm out to Bonnie. "Then your brother and this one had some kind of conference that the rest of us didn't get invited to. And voila-here we are."

Matt dropped his head into his hands. "Hopefully, you two didn't just push him back into going looney tunes again."

Liv plopped onto the sofa beside Tyler, groaning. Then she peered at him, concern growing on her face as she took in his condition. "Something's really wrong with you."

"No shit."

"We were going to work on something for that," Bonnie said. "Me and Kai."

Liv smacked a hand to her face. "Oh, my God. He's going to kill me."

Bonnie scrunched up her face in a 'sucks to be you, glad it's not me' expression.

"I told you, we needed a game plan," Luke admonished his sister "Just rushing the place was never a good idea."

"Who knew that they were here practically singing kumbaya?" Liv protested. "I mean, hello, it's Kai."

"And yet, here Tyler is-not really healthy-but at least not dismembered," Luke deadpanned. "You owe Kai an apology. And maybe a year's worth of council duties."

"Or how about, I just owe you some pain?" came the cheerful voice.

Liv and Luke suddenly squeezed their eyes shut, groaning as they grabbed their heads.

Kai strolled in, bloody nose, lip and all, stopping before his siblings. An angry flash of convergent power swept throughout the room, a mix of all three Parkers readying themselves, one aura overwhelmingly stronger than the other two.

Another burst of magic bounded from Kai and the twins flew apart, onto opposite chairs. They landed hard enough to cause minor whiplash, their faces still scrunched up in obvious discomfort as the aneurysms continued.

Bonnie clenched, dread seeping through her again, but as quickly as it had started, the magic all dissipated, as Kai sighed heavily, shaking his head.

The other two quieted, lowering their hands from their heads.

Looking down at them, Kai tsked. "You two," he said, his tone full of disappointment, "Are in deep shit. Seriously."

Matt, Tyler, and Caroline were all tensed, anticipating another showdown, but Bonnie continued eyeing Kai, guessing that he was only half-serious. If a ten-second migraine was all he had for his siblings, she was willing to let it slide.

"Can you blame us?" Liv grumbled, although her face held a hint of remorse. "I didn't have a lot of options, Kai."

"Last I checked, we speak the same language. How hard would it have been to say, 'hey, thinking of marrying a werewolf, bro.'" Kai held up a hand, circling around his ear. "Then I could've had you treated for insanity."

"Exactly my point."

Kai rounded on Luke. "Aren't you supposed to be the smart twin? You're officially stripped of the title. This idea was many shades of dumb."

"If we had told you, what would you have done?" Luke asked quietly. "I can never tell."

"Last time they led a hunting party," Liv added, "You were at the front of the line. Ripping wolves apart with your magic and smiling about it the whole time."

Bonnie's eyes flew to Kai. He was looking straight at her.

"They were on a tear," he said lightly. "Too many unidentifiable limbs ending up in the river. What else could we do?"

"There were kids in that wolf pack!"

"My bad. I mean, they were only eating people three nights out of the month. I guess since they were under eighteen, they should've gotten a pass." The chuckle he let out was empty, utterly without humor. "C'mon, Liv! Think about what you're signing up for." He snorted in disgust. "Then again, that's asking a lot from someone with oatmeal between their ears."

Bonnie, Matt, and Caroline had all subconsciously drifted towards each other, standing uncomfortably between the kitchen and family room, trying not to be noticed as the other three argued.

Kai suddenly turned to them, his focus first on Bonnie, before his eyes cut to Caroline, and then Tyler.

"A werewolf, a witch, and a vampire walk into a bar..." he trailed off, with a derisive smirk. "And that's the whole punchline." He shook his head. "Is there like a bizarre remake of 'Three Stooges' over there in Mystic Falls? What're you all even doing together?"

Bonnie said nothing, but of course Caroline, in wide-eyed agitation, had to offer a nugget of information that Bonnie knew her friend probably thought would help matters. "We've been friends for years! And actually, um, Tyler's my ex."

For a long moment, Kai just kept blinking. And then he looked at Bonnie, and she saw that his eyes had lit up, merriment filling them.

A low rumble came out, that soon turned into a full-blown laugh.

While everyone else waited with baited breath, Kai kept guffawing. Bonnie bit her mouth, discomfited. Had he finally gone off the deep end? Because the more he kept doing that, the more she wondered. She cast another uneasy glance around at everyone, images of Kai forcing Tyler into his wolf form flickering through her mind.

"Look, Kai, I'm really sorry," Liv mumbled, her entire air completely one of humility now. "I didn't want you to cage him up and I wasn't sure if you'd go to the elders."

And just like that, his face morphed into a grimace. Bonnie guessed that Liv was only expressing how the other elders would have handled it. Tyler should have been dead. As soon as he'd confessed, Kai should've taken him out, quickly and without any fanfare. Gemini coven practice, section who knew where in their rule book.

Kai rubbed a hand over his eyelids. "Just...let's get this over with. We can iron out everything after the damn wedding."

"Are you going to tell the council?" she asked fearfully.

He glared at his sister. "I'm gonna need you to put on your thinking cap, Liv. If I tell them, then he _will_ die. And we'll have wasted all this time, effort, and _fighting_..." here his gaze slid to Bonnie. "...over nothing."

"Okay," Liv said, in a strange uncharacteristic display of docility.

Remembering one of her earliest conversations with Liv about her brother, and how hopeful she'd been once Kai took over the coven fully, Bonnie realized why it was that her friend hadn't brought him in on the plan. Even though now, he had little choice but to partake in the charade, his obvious displeasure at having to do so was telling. For the first time, it really struck Bonnie-no matter his mixed feelings about his role and carrying on as heir, he fulfilled his duties to the coven as best he could. Almost all of her discussions with him in the past two days pointed to that.

As much as she carried the weight of the burden in Mystic Falls, here was someone responsible for quite a bit more. Over a hundred witches in a coven as old as her bloodline, their influence spanning an urban city center and possibly even beyond.

And now, he was forced to break his own rules, going against everything that had been taught to him since childhood.

They had put him in an impossible position.

Luke smiled serenely. "Well, that wasn't too bad at all."

Kai included him in his angry glower.

"You want me to say sorry, too?" Luke asked casually. "Because you know if I hadn't been there to help, this would be a lot worse. Especially in the beginning." Luke shook his head. "We really need to cut back on some of our pre-wedding rituals."

Bonnie could've hugged Luke and his wonderful logic.

"Are we done airing out the family issues?" Tyler chimed in. "We're late for our own wedding."

Liv shook her head, patting his head in assurance. "The coven chaplain's plane got delayed, we have another hour."

Caroline's eyes widened. "Did you just say you're an hour behind now?"

Luke and Liv eyed her without worry. "Oh, that's actually not bad for Parker weddings," Luke said.

Liv glanced at Kai. "It's enough time for us to try to fix him, but I have to get some ingredients from the attic. I want to try another spell." She frowned at Tyler as he lay on the couch, resting. "If it's poison, we can try to flush it out." Then she disappeared through a door at the edge of the room that led to a narrow, long staircase, Luke following her.

Caroline and Matt were busy with his glasses and her phone, trying to sync the feeds again. Kai watched them through narrowed eyes. Bonnie watched _him_ with muted anxiety. She didn't like the way he studied her friends.

He was also still bleeding from several cuts, and his mouth still had dried up blood on the corner.

She approached him cautiously, but he waved her away. "Oh, don't act all concerned citizen with me, Bonnie. I'm fine." His tone turned rueful. "My sister always did have a mean sucker punch."

Sitting down beside him, she lifted a brow expectantly. "Aren't you going to heal yourself? Your nose isn't looking great."

He eyed her unblinking. "What's it matter?"

Disturbed, she returned his scrutiny with a frown. "I don't-I guess if it doesn't hurt..." she trailed off, then shook herself. Bringing a hand up, she was on the verge of healing him herself when he gently pushed it back down, his magic lapping in the air around them.

"Don't heal me again," he said.

"Why aren't you doing it yourself?"

He shrugged. "My nose isn't broken. Everything else is minor."

On the side of his cheek was a little bit of swelling that she easily could tell would shortly turn purple.

"Where's your first aid kit?"

Again he regarded her without any hint of mockery or teasing, but with the detached, flint-eyed interest of someone looking at, say, something in a science lab.

Unnerved, she left him then, recalling that the powder room had a medicine cabinet. Rifling through it, she found what she needed to treat the cuts on his face. She didn't stop to think for too long about the touching that would be involved in doing so. If he'd wanted to steal her magic again, he'd had plenty of times to do so.

When she came back out, he had disappeared from the living room.

With Tyler still resting, and Matt still preoccupied with the so-far fairly useless camera glasses, Bonnie opted to join Caroline as she hung out by the fireplace, pacing.

"You okay?" she asked the blonde.

"Are you kidding? I should be asking you that." Caroline glanced around, then pulled Bonnie onto the loveseat. " _What_ is going on with you and that psycho?"

Bonnie cringed. "Nothing."

Caroline seemed to read into that, far too well for Bonnie's comfort. "Oh, no. Bonnie, don't tell me. I knew this would happen." She shook her head. "This is all mine and Elena's fault. We've set a terrible example."

"What're you talking about?"

"Klaus, Damon? Me and her falling for the erstwhile charms of homicidal maniacs?"

Bonnie stifled a laugh. "Pretty sure Kai hasn't lived long enough to reach their level of homicidal or maniac." Then she sobered, as images of alternate murderous Kais popped into their head.

"True." Caroline stared at Tyler with a frown. "I hope he means it, giving Tyler and Liv his blessing."

"I don't know about blessing, but at least we know he's not getting in the way."

Caroline eyed her. "How'd you bring him around?"

"He made me promise to help him find a way to separate Tyler from his wolf form."

Caroline raised one a brow. "Is that possible?"

"I don't know...a good chance there might be, but it would take a while." A lot of research into arcane texts, and then of course, travel to find said texts. It would cost not just time, but money.

Caroline's eye widened. "Bonnie, he's exploiting the situation."

"What?"

"I'll bet my entire collection of spring purses that he's using that as an excuse to keep seeing you." She lifted her shoulders daintily. "Meanwhile, Tyler and Liv will just stay under the radar from the rest of the coven. At least until they decide to join the twenty-first century and embrace all supernaturals. There should be a word for people like them. Creatureism or something. Ugh. Why are they so prejudiced?"

Bonnie frowned, because the first part of Caroline's rant, her suspicion of Kai's motives, had never crossed her mind. Kai had seemed pretty serious about wanting to find a permanent solution for Tyler's werewolf problem. Then there was that image of the alternate world where he forced Tyler into wolf form.

Which made it odder, how adamant this world's Kai had been that she stay away from the Revoqari. A promise she was already regretting making, since it was just about the surest thing there was to breaking Tyler's curse. She wished she had thought of it first, years ago. But years ago, she wouldn't have survived the casting, and Tyler didn't have Liv yet to motivate him to undergo the pain of such a ritual.

It was always about timing.

Bonnie pressed her hands to her eyes, then felt Caroline's cold, gentle hands on her shoulder.

"It's almost over," her friend reassured her. "We just gotta fix Tyler and make it through the next couple hours."

Bonnie managed a small smile.

Caroline's face grew reflective. "Do you think they'd let me stick around?" she asked in a hushed voice.

A giggle escaped Bonnie.

"Seriously! Bonnie! Now that Kai knows about us, maybe between the four of you guys, you can manage to drop that veil spell on me."

The words gave Bonnie pause. Not a bad idea. Aside from obviously wanting her friend to join them in the festivities-although things were looking less and less celebratory by the minute-Caroline would be another useful set of eyes and ears. Bonnie debated finding Kai to broach the idea, and also to make sure that he hadn't changed his mind about the whole thing.

When Matt joined them to ask Caroline about the feed, Bonnie used it as her chance to leave the room and go seek Kai out.

She climbed the main staircase with quiet steps, feeling strangely familiar with the place. How was it possible that such a cozy home belonged to one of the craziest, deadliest family of witches she had ever met? Liv had always made it sound like the house was a cesspool of unhappy memories, thanks to Joshua Parker's tight control over his family, so she had imagined a dark, dreary home, not one that seemed to belong on the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog.

At the far end of the upstairs hall stood a closed door. She knocked gently.

Shock of all shocks, Kai actually opened it, turning around as soon as he did so and not even sparing her a glance as she entered.

He threw himself on the bed, appearing completely at ease while at the same time disproportionately large on the twin size mattress. He put an arm across his face, the afternoon sun slanting across part of his features. With his eyes closed, he managed to look boyish, despite the stubble that seemed to have grown thicker since last night and the bags under his eyes.

She took in the walls, which were bare once again, except for some carefully scrawled ancient symbols running along one wall, on what looked like thick parchment. Stepping closer, she read Sanskrit, Runic, Latin, and Sumerian, as well as others she wasn't quite as familiar with. They were a quick-guide to the most basic words of each ancient alphabet. Well-ordered, neat, and obviously done with painstaking thought.

Turning away, feeling her stomach doing its treacherous flip flop, she looked nervously around the rest of the room. It struck her how small it was, for someone of his size. This could've easily been one of the kitchen pantries in the Salvatore mansion.

When her eyes found Kai again, she found him sitting up and watching her, his back against the wall, one knee raised and an elbow resting on it.

She held out the makeshift first aid supplies. He made no move to take them, so she stepped to the table beside him and left everything there, ignoring his eyes on her as she did so.

"Since you refuse to do it the easy way," she said lightly. "I thought you could use this."

Then backed away, heading for the door.

"What's your deal?" he asked, tone casual but his look sharp. "You love everything that most witches hate-vampires, werewolves, ignominy. Are you just a rebel with too many causes?"

The tone of his voice signified he had things to get off his chest.

"We all grew up together, they were my friends before anything." She crossed her arms. "Maybe you and your coven shouldn't be so close-minded."

Eyeing the bed, she decided against sitting at the edge of it, and instead perched herself on the large windowsill. She could see that he had burning questions to ask, and in all fairness, he deserved some answers.

"Everything happened in high school. Caroline got turned, Tyler activated his curse. I didn't find out that I was a witch until sophomore year," she added, a little sheepish because compared to the Parker siblings it was practically middle age in terms of manifesting her powers. "My Grams, she kept my heritage from me until the last possible moment."

She smiled a little to herself, remembering how, until that point, her grandmother had been just a kooky old lady, who sometimes spoiled her, occasionally shocked her, and every so often showed up inebriated to collect her from her father. Who didn't seem to approve very much of the older woman's influence on Bonnie.

"Late bloomer." Kai's gaze was measured, his tone holding just a hint of mockery and then suddenly, it was gone, as he said, "I guess that didn't really matter, though." She watched as his eyes moved to her hair, and something in his look changed, making her uncomfortable. "You look a little like you're on fire right now."

She glanced behind her, confused.

"The sun, the way it's hitting you..." his voice trailed off, then he cleared his throat. "So was that one of your triggers? Fire?"

"All of the elements were." She shrugged. "I lit a roomful of candles, my first time."

Now his face took on an ironic cast. "My first time stealing magic, I used it to blow them out."

Hesitantly, they shared a smile.

"No wonder for breakfast, that steaming mug of coffee didn't faze you." He bit his mouth in apparent thought. "I've never seen flames like yours, down in the cellar."

She didn't want to talk about the cellar, and from the look on his face, it didn't seem like he wanted to pursue it, either. He probably realized that she would have her own pressing questions about that. Like why he had let it remain the same, or why he let his father go unpunished for his years of inflicting abuse. Kai didn't seem like the forgiving type.

Except in this situation with Tyler-that was essentially what he had done.

Bonnie rubbed her cheek in confusion.

"You know, for a second there I thought it was me you were trying to set on fire."

"I figured." She hadn't missed the way he'd put his hands up in defense.

"Just so you know, I was the only person ever in those manacles." He shrugged. "I didn't inherit my old man's taste for medieval restraints. I like to think I'm a simpler kind of guy."

"Yeah, I gathered that from your use of a tire swing," she muttered.

"Tell me, Bonnie," he said, in that easy, light tone of voice she didn't trust. "Were all of our conversations just you casing me?"

His magic flickered just then, a quick flash of warning to let her know that things had taken a wrong turn. But he was the one pushing it, trying to set her off herself.

"No! Why would you..." she stopped sighing. "I wasn't even supposed to interact with you, period."

"So why did you?"

"Are you kidding? You were everywhere!"

"Yeah, well, something about you was suspicious. Turns out, my hunch was right."

The way he said that, as if she was a common criminal, set her teeth on edge. "What's so wrong about me, Kai?" she asked. "That I don't hang out with all the cool kids from the covens? Or that I don't look down my nose at all the other supernaturals? I didn't figure you for an uppity, snotty piece of shit."

She tried not to sound hurt, because that was giving him too much ammunition, so she settled for seething dislike, hoping it would fool him. He studied her with cool indifference.

"I guess that was you, then, right? When you told me about your "friends," who were witches? The ones who didn't have enough drive to climb higher in life with their magic?"

Ugh. He _was_ an uppity, snotty piece of shit. She whirled on her feet because she couldn't get to the door fast enough.

"Your Grams," he cut in, stopping her in her tracks with a tone that was again entirely too casual. "Who was she?"

Something niggled in the back of her mind, as she considered answering. He clearly had history with her family, and if she logically thought it out, there were only a handful of Bennetts she knew of that he could've shared that history with. Lucy, her cousin, but as far as Bonnie knew she had spent all her life on the East coast and also, like her, tried to avoid entangling herself with large, complicated covens. Then there was her great-uncle, who lived in semi-seclusion in a totally different continent, and whose magic was on the much lower end of the spectrum compared to the females in the family. And then there was her Grams.

"Sheila Bennett," she offered, measuring his reaction.

Nothing. He didn't reveal anything whatsoever, his entire manner calm and aloof. How could he not realize that such a non-reaction was damning? Her jaw dropped a little in disbelief. Her grandmother's name _always_ sparked a bigger reaction than this.

"Oh, my God," she said. "You knew my grandmother."

"What?" he said, scoffing, but it was too late.

She stood, pacing, her thoughts all a jumble. Maggie's story, the role that her Grams played in making sure that the 'message' about meeting Kai somehow reached Bonnie. Then Maggie's frustration, something about wanting to throttle her grandmother. Kai's clear dislike of the Bennetts.

She stopped, indignant. "You _hated_ my grandmother!" It brought her to the bed, and she threw herself down at the edge of it, leaning forward impatiently, not even caring that the movement brought her in extremely close proximity to him, almost practically between his legs on the mattress.

"Tell me, Kai."

His gray eyes were stormier than she'd ever seen, reminding her of thunderclouds, and around the room she felt his magic gathering ominously. "How do you know Maggie, hmm?" he asked in reply.

"What happened between you and my Grams?" She let her own magic out, letting it wrap around her, like a forcefield that she wouldn't hesitate to fling out and whack him with, if she didn't get what she needed. Of course, it would probably fail to do so since the protective wards would fizzle out her powers. But it didn't hurt to put on a show.

"I thought we called a truce," he said irately, leaning forward himself until their noses were almost touching.

And then his eyes dropped to her mouth, stayed a few moments, his own mouth opening and a little bit of his tongue sliding to the corner of his own lips. When his gaze flicked back up, it was lazy and assessing, like one of those male panthers eyeing a potential mate in the animal documentaries that Tyler was so fond of watching.

 _Mate._

Bonnie backed way up, right off the damn bed, and clear across the other side of the room.

He had no business looking at her mouth. But she took a few moments, and the atmosphere mellowed as she calmed herself, dismissing that last reaction he'd had. Maybe his eyes were just tired, and his tongue coming out like that just an indication that he was parched.

Yeah, that was it.

She focused instead on the important thing.

Why would anyone hate Grams? was the foremost question in her mind, but she didn't voice it. Because while she couldn't be objective about the topic, she also couldn't deny that there existed a long list of people that Sheila Bennett had had it out for, mainly because they were either a threat to her family and her people, or because they had been a shared headache among the other covens, and Sheila had been brought in as the expert outsider, to find a solution.

It stood to reason, then, that these people would not be fans of Grams.

Bonnie exhaled crossly. "Never mind," she said. "I guess it's one of those million other things that I can read about as a footnote in the Bennett family chronicles."

His head came up, amusement and curiosity replacing the storm clouds in his eyes. "You guys actually have that? Written chronicles? Because a lot of people have looked..." he trailed off.

She gave a look of disgust, not aimed specifically at him, but towards the situation. "Doesn't my family name factor into every other covens' grimoires and scrolls? Or even vampires and their diaries." She snorted irritably. "Seems like everyone made it their business to know ours."

"And vice versa," he pointed out snidely.

She made a face at him. "So you hate my family, and now you hate me. That explains..." she laughed softly, hoping that it hid how much the thought bothered her. "Well, a lot. Like how you went from wanting to get in my pants to trying to suck me dry of my magic."

Her words lay between them like a giant pile of eggshells that neither knew how to navigate around. There simply wasn't enough time to sift through what was growing into a long and convoluted history. And they had only been introduced yesterday.

She crossed her arms, looking down at her feet. "For what it's worth, I just met Maggie this weekend."

He snorted.

"Ask her yourself. I don't really care." Maybe Maggie could do her forehead trick on him and he could be the one sweating it out, seeing all the ways the other worlds sucked because he died, or she died, or they both stumbled la-di-da into death together.

Or maybe he'd start obsessing about the ones where their other selves found happiness with each other.

"I'd better go help Liv," she mumbled, starting to back away.

"You're the only girl I've ever had in my room," he said abruptly.

She stilled.

"I mean, outside of my family." His smile was quick and fleeting. "They don't really count."

Her brows raised politely, uncertainly. "Okay."

The door behind her, which she'd left open, suddenly closed. She tensed, then glared at him. "Kai-"

"C'mon, Bonnie, make it a memorable one," he said charmingly, reaching for the first aid supplies. "Play nurse for me."

Her eyes went round with shock.

"It's the least you could do, after all."

* * *

Bonnie Bennett made for a terrible nurse.

"Stop being a damn baby," she grumbled, pressing an alcohol-soaked cotton ball roughly against his brow.

He hissed in pain.

He was sitting up in bed, his legs on the floor, and while she had initially started out a good three feet away, barely close enough to reach his face, now she stood right between his knees. His head was dead even with her chest, and if he sneezed just then, his face would probably press right against her breasts. The idea would've been wonderful, if only she wasn't currently doing her best to ruin the mood.

There was some kind of poetic justice that he'd found appealing, having her do this for him. Every cut and bruise theoretically was her fault, since she seemed to be the one everyone downstairs had primarily relied on to see this idiot plan of theirs through. The Bennett witch as the muscle of the group...a familiar notion, if he thought back to the time when his father and the other coven elders had worked closely with Sheila Bennett on certain issues that arose. Except that particular Bennett had also proven to be the brains in some of the dealings.

Bonnie had probably tried to fill that slot, too, but with a plan like theirs...she'd largely failed.

Raw fatigue swept through him then, had him almost leaning against her front. It took work on his part to keep his head tilted back, but at least this way he still had a good view of her face. She looked grumpy.

He felt the same. And really, between the two of them, the entitlement belonged to him.

Liv and Tyler's deception was of such staggering proportions, that it boggled the mind. He tried to avoid thinking about scenarios where the coven elders uncovered this. Or his father.

The thought made him grit his teeth, and then he did drop his head forward, his hair brushing softly against her shirt.

Almost instantly, his head jerked back, as another alcohol cotton ball swiped harshly across the other cut on his face, and then against the corner of his mouth.

"Pretty sure you're supposed to dab," he muttered. "Gently. Not scrub, like I'm a dirty dishplate."

She stopped, fully glowering at him. "Are you complaining? Because I don't need to be doing this. I don't even know why I am."

He fought a smile, staring into her slitted green eyes. She avoided looking at him, of course, her brows furrowed as she concentrated, her lovely features all tense and worried. Even her Cupid's bow mouth was turned down at the corners, making him want to reach out and tip them up at the edge.

She would probably burn him alive if he did that, the thought coaxing his smile to form fully across his face.

Oh, he was in trouble. How this girl could make him feel like shit but also incredible in the same instant was really beyond him. Especially after the last hour of total anarchy.

"Liv's pretty remorseful, by the way," she began. "I think if Tyler weren't so sick, she'd have explained everything better."

"So you're expanding on her apologies now? What feat of super BFF-ness is Bonnie Bennett the wonder witch not capable of?" The mockery in his voice brought her hands faltering. When they lowered, he grabbed them, hoping with all his damn might that she wouldn't shrink from his touch.

He really wanted to go back in time just then, to when they were still in the room at the lodge.

When she didn't shy away, his brain raced with impossible, stupid hope. And regret. A truckload of that.

"I'm sorry," he said thickly.

Her head was bent down, eyes on their joined hands, and he could sense that even while she didn't try to pull them away, she was clearly skittish. He kept his grip light. "For what?" she asked evenly.

For ever meeting her, he wanted to say, even though that wasn't true. He had an idea that before this weekend, he'd just been miming living, stuck on autopilot but trying to find amusement in the sorry joke that was his life so far. The neutered Parker family abomination, now running the coven that had he had once wanted to annihilate, covering for the father whom he had once upon a time plotted to destroy.

"My coven-my family." He smiled grimly. "Much as they drive me to the brink of homicide, in the end it's my job to protect them, Bonnie."

She nodded. "I get it."

"Do you?"

Leaning forward, he dared to move closer. He noted her nervousness, but she still didn't wince away from him.

He had fucked up so much. Her, too. But him, far worse.

And then he wondered, again, why it mattered? Because she was a Bennett. Nothing between them could possibly end well. Already had started spiraling downward. He needed to heed the warning signs here, already glaring with neon lights to any fool with a brain.

So she thought he hated her. No, just your family, he'd wanted to tell her minutes ago, when she'd deduced correctly that he wasn't a fan of the Bennetts.

As much as he hated her name, though, he wanted _her._ Sure, she'd played him, but mostly to help Liv. And Tyler. The worst that he could lay at Bonnie's feet was her apparent inability to say no to her friends.

That, and she needed new friends. A few hours ago, he'd thought they were on their way to that, and more. Then in typical fashion, the universe dealt him a pair of shitty cards in the form of Liv and Tyler, an erratic queen and her misbegotten joker. The only reason he wasn't currently breathing fire through his nose, in all honesty, was because at least their lunacy had led Bonnie here. So there was that. Although right now it was at a dead end with her.

A thought struck him. He moved away from her abruptly, disappearing into the small closet for a moment.

There were plastic organizers that his mother had used to stuff all of their winter items somewhere in there. He found the one with the accessories, pulling it down. In another few moments, he found what he was looking for. His mother had bought him a bunch of pairs, and while he hated them all, there was one, soft to touch and thin enough to be functional, that he tolerated wearing for most of his outings back when he was a teen.

He hadn't used them in years.

Stepping back out, he pulled them on.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

He stretched the gloves out a little more than he had back in his youth, but they held. They were quality, soft black kidskin leather, special ordered from Italy according to his mother. Back then, he hadn't given a shit where they came from. They were just another type of restraint that his father had enforced.

Bonnie's eyes held concern now, as she glanced from the gloves to his face.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice a partial whisper.

"I-I was-" he stopped, shaking his head. "I don't know if you're okay with me touching you."

"I'm not okay with it," she said quickly.

He looked away then, walking to the window to stare outside. There stood the tree with the tire swing, that he had used to manipulate Bonnie into giving answers, under threat of her friend's death.

Sometimes, he thought his life would have been easier if his grandfather had never intervened. Because it sucked a lot, to have all this natural inclination for violence and indifference constantly at war with the supposed better part of himself that Theo Parker had sworn was inside him. Somewhere. Very far down.

A brief memory flashed to mind, of a time just before his grandfather took him in...

 _Summer had rolled around, and most of his siblings were at camp, which meant the house was quiet, and he was terribly, mind-numbingly bored. Roaming the halls, he found Jo, fresh from the library, stacking piles of books on the desk in the den. He watched her quietly from the doorway, then knocked loudly, smiling when she flinched._

 _"Whatcha got there, sis?" He strolled over to peruse the pile. "Living with Psychosis...A Guide to Sociopathy...Families in Crisis: Treatments for Relatives with Mental Illness." He made an approving face. "Riveting beach reads you got here."_

 _Flipping through them, he idly wondered why she was bothering._

 _"Did you know you could become a successful sociopath?" she said, pulling at the ends of her ponytail in that nervous way of hers. "You can live a normal life."_

 _"Who says I want to?"_

 _"Me. I say. I want my brother back who watched Goonies with me until we memorized all the lines."_

 _"Newsflash, sis. Headcase or not, pretty sure I've just outgrown that stage. Not my problem if you're still stuck in it."_

 _"Well, the next stage of puberty isn't to go spend all your time locked in your room or sneaking outside to kill off the newest batch of chickens and piglets. It's getting all fucked up, Kai."_

 _"Getting? I think you mean, always. It's always been fucked up, Jo. Take it up with Dad."_

 _"Let's look these over together. Grandpa said it would help."_

 _"Yeah, take advice from the decrepit hermit whose name nobody can remember." He laughed. "Grandpa can kiss my ass."_

 _Before he left, he grabbed her shoulder, pinching down hard with his fingers. He hadn't given her permission to make him her mental health guinea pig, so she needed to be punished for that. As he walked out of the den with stolen magic, he gave an idle toss of his hand, mangling the pages of all her useless books._

Shortly afterwards, fate had played its biggest joke. His grandfather and him, locked in a dimension where Kai had limitless amounts of time to catch up on all the reading that he hadn't done. And the gist of the reading material spelled out, for the most part, something obvious that Kai had known since early on: that he simply didn't give enough of a shit.

Twenty half-years later, here he was, faced with someone that had crossed him, and he knew without a doubt that things would've been a lot easier if he was still that same seventeen year old that didn't give a shit.

"I really wonder," he said, chuckling softly. "What might've happened if Tyler hadn't interrupted us." He shook his head. "Werewolves. Gotta hate how they can sometimes shake off our spells."

He could sense her fidgeting. "It wasn't a good idea, anyway," she said. "Getting inside my head. If that's what you mean."

"You're afraid," he said easily. "Understandable. I mean, yeah, you saw what an asshole I can be. But at least now you now. Progress, right?"

She wrinkled her brows.

"Thing is, Bonnie. Even if you don't want me in your head, I'm already in there. I can tell."

He caught her swallowing nervously, and she started shaking her head in protest, but then stopped when their eyes met and held. Slowly, he approached her.

"But it's only fair," he said ruefully, "because you're in mine. And I really fucking wish you weren't. But it's kind of no use. You know?"

And there it was, all out there. He had done it. He was proud of himself, because that was pretty damn hard. But they'd almost just tried to kill each other. Or maybe not. He somehow couldn't bring himself to finish the job, and while she kept trying-even being creative about it using the bout of epiglottitis, which had gotten very close to winking out his life there- she also kept _healing_ him. Either she suffered from a bad case of indecisiveness, or she was exactly where he was. And he didn't like the idea of waiting around to find out. So why not add to the mess, and try this new thing with sharing all these shitty, awful feelings?

The last time he'd had much of any was when he'd had to bury his mother and grandfather, back to back.

They hadn't been good feelings at all. Truthfully, he was pretty sure they just about killed him.

And now, here he was, offering a damn Bennett with the ammunition that could take him out again.

"Kai, we can't," she said quietly, her eyes wide and pleading.

He nodded. "Yeah, I thought so." He turned, gesturing dismissively to her. "You're completely the wrong person."

She nodded, too. "Back atcha."

In his head, he imagined them both moving forward at the same moment, and somehow she would stumble in his arms, and they would kiss, and she'd let him undress her, and use her magic to burn his clothes off, because Bonnie and her magic-God, so fucking amazing. And they would make new memories in this room, his too-tiny, suffocating room that had served as not much more than a prison with windows for roughly a decade of his childhood.

Somewhere in his diaphragm was an unknown creature gnawing away and making it hurt. He gulped down the pain, smiling at Bonnie again.

She seemed to be laboring under something herself, her eyes looking a little too bright for his comfort. What the hell for, he wasn't sure, he only knew he hated tears, and hers earlier in the kitchen had almost single-handedly been the driving force behind him agreeing to the marriage. That, and also, him thinking of Liv and how, since as a girl, she had wanted nothing more than to find someone to understand her messed-up head. Which apparently was Tyler, a fucking werewolf. Ironic, that.

But then Bonnie rallied, and he was relieved, and then excited, because she stepped closer to him.

"I didn't get to finish," she said, grabbing the ointment and the bandaid strips.

"Don't know if I want you to," he said, eyeing it warily, but she glared him.

Looking at her was bringing that gnawing hurt back into his diaphragm so he kept his eyes somewhere in the distance outside the window, as she worked on the last of his cuts.

"Your bedside manner could use work," he said, to distract himself more than anything.

That earned him a harsh swipe of ointment on his face, before the band-aids were slapped on, tilting his head back almost hard enough for whiplash.

"You guys? Bonnie?" came the questioning voice, as Luke entered, followed by Matt.

"More like Nurse Ratched," Kai mumbled, biting back a grin as Bonnie fought a smile, eyeing him warningly, before she turned.

He glanced surreptitiously at her ass.

Matt, no surprise, eyed him with hostile doubt as Luke informed her about the spell Liv was working on below for Tyler.

Bonnie seemed to flush guiltily, as she put down the first aid supplies. "I'm done here, anyway."

Kai watched them leave, saw her pause a moment before she left the room, the profile of her face clear to him despite her not fully glancing back. He was about to tell her to give him a few minutes, but she seemed to understand, because she closed the door softly behind her without a word.

He let out a shaky breath, lowering his elbows on his knees.

He didn't want to think about Bonnie, so he instead, he dwelled on the insanity happening below.

They were all downstairs trying to heal a damn werewolf so he could marry into the coven. The thought was so ludicrous, he almost laughed. If the elders found about this-oh, there would be hell to pay. His family would be on the receiving end of it.

If his father got wind of this-

Kai narrowed his eyes. His father simply would never find out.

For some reason, his mind flashed back to the Revoqari. Bonnie had completely thrown him earlier, bringing that nasty bit of work up in their conversation. From any other witch, he would have been surprised about their knowledge of such a spell. From a Bennett, it gave him the heebie-jeebies. Trying to summon demons as a teen with his old gang of dark arts comrades paled in comparison. Good and evil, as well as traditional elements of nature, were ever present in magic, and any witch worth his name could wield those with effort and practice and skill.

But Bonnie was talking about Expression magic, delving into order and chaos, of ripping into the very fabric of reality-one of the most arcane practices out there. It was incredibly difficult, finding anyone who had casted enough of that particular craft's spells and gained enough experience as a result, to be considered proficient let alone an expert. Bonnie was the only witch he'd ever met that so casually mentioned dabbling in it. He wasn't sure if that spoke of her talent, or recklessness. More likely a combination of both.

Many witches died merely from their first foray into that particular craft.

Kai had almost been one of them. When he'd tried to resurrect his grandfather.

* * *

A/N: It might be a little bit longer of an update after this chapter, guys. June's a hectic month, but I'm still aiming for at least twice a week. Really want to finish the story. Thanks again for reading and reviewing, you lovely peeps. Shoutout to Lei1anaberrie and the guest reviewer who spotted the goofs in previous chapters. Also to the guest who asked about the succession rules-I don't know if the show ever addressed it, but me, I'm following the English rules of primogeniture (or what I think are their rules lol): Kai is heir, Rachel's twins are heirs presumptive after him, and can be displaced if Kai ever has twins himself. And I think I mentioned it before, but my idea of Expression magic might not jive with the show's. Next chapter will be slightly more M than these last few. ;)


	16. Chapter 16

**Note:** Rated M, towards the end.

 _CHAPTER SIXTEEN_

Downstairs, he found Luke speaking quietly with Matt and Caroline, all their faces crinkled with worry and even more confusion. Amusement won over indignation when he saw that they had made use of the well-stocked fridge, a small smorgasbord of snacks now resting on the island. He made a beeline for the pork rinds, eyeing Luke warningly because his brother was more of a hog than him. The other two witches were pouring over a stack of tomes, Liv on the couch with Tyler, Bonnie sitting cross legged on the carpet with a grimoire on her lap, and another spread open on the living room table before her.

"I tried the detox spell," Liv said, glanced up at him while wringing her hands. "No dice. He looks like he's been hexed."

He went to join Bonnie, munching on a pork rind while he listened to his siblings explain their theory on Tyler. It fit part of the profile, his unrelenting illness, with no amount of magical healing proving permanent. But what was missing was a lasting outcome. Death hexes typically happened within the space of a few hours, and Tyler had gone on for too long already. And what was another negative factor was that the healing spells worked even a little. For most hexes, such things would have accelerated the progress of the curse, instead of keeping it at bay.

Bonnie briefly looked up as Kai grabbed one of the other tomes. He offered her the bag, then shrugged when she shook her head.

"Let's lift the veil spell for a few minutes," she said to Liv. "In case it was interfering, you can try again."

The two of them joined hands, magic rushing out from their forms in a sweeping circuit around the room, Bonnie's share of it potent and lingering in the air even after their incantation ended.

Kai watched Tyler closely, now seeing his werewolf essence for the first time, the air around the man a hungry, menacing force. He realized how incredibly strong the spell they had used was, to have kept his true nature under wraps for all this time in the presence of so many witches. Tyler screamed predator now, to his witch senses.

Then he turned his eyes to Bonnie, trying not to gulp audibly when he found himself facing the typical Bennett magical signature blazing fiercely around her petite form with the brightness of the sun, except hers was tempered by something slightly sinister and bleak, woven inexorably into the otherwise luminous strands of her aura.

 _Holy shit._

She caught him looking, her cheeks turning faintly flushed. Her aura died down, almost to nonexistence, but his eyes retained the image of it. He couldn't unsee the obvious.

It hit him, that he should've known about her use of Expression since earlier when he'd taken her magic, but he'd been distracted from sifting through the memory of it. The way her powers had filled his blood, an intoxicating torrent that threatened to overwhelm his own. A rare event, since whenever he stole from other witches, his magic usually just lapped at the foreign powers, readily absorbing them without much fanfare. The only other time he'd felt similar was during his own aborted attempt to channel Expression to raise his grandfather. But even then, the coiling bleakness of the unfamiliar craft that wended through his magic had been just a temporary thing; he'd barely gotten a taste at all, like a too-small appetizer. Bonnie's aura held Expression like a full-bodied wine that accompanied the main course of her traditional Bennett magic. He yearned to feast on it.

Kai tried to put it out of his mind, but utterly failed to concentrate, as he cast the woman beside him searing glances. She continued to chew on her lip, her face focused on the tome in her lap. Behind them, Liv recasted her spell, to no avail. The mood in the room plummeted. Luke drifted over, and grabbed the snack bag from him, munching morosely on pork rinds. Matt and Caroline, to Kai's surprise, began clean up work in the kitchen, and he allowed Bonnie this, that at least her friends weren't totally useless.

Several minutes later, Bonnie tapped excitedly on one of the passages, her other hand reaching out to his knee and shaking it. She must have been a cute little bookworm at some point in her life, with such obvious devotion to her studies.

"Guys, here's something!"

He leaned over, reading the text her finger rested on.

She frowned, squinting as she tried to make out the words written in Gaelic. "A mineral, I think? Saps away the intended victim's energy. But I can't make out why."

Kai read over her shoulder, his own brows drawn together as he translated. "Not a mineral," he corrected, as he read. "Fragments of a stone, broken into powder."

"What kind of stone is that referring to?" Bonnie asked him, her breath hitting his ear as he continued reading on his own. He tried not to notice it, or how she deferred to him since, clearly, his knowledge of the ancient written language surpassed her own.

"Looks familiar," he said, flipping through the pages of the book on her lap. Then he rifled through the remaining tomes around her, from another Gaelic text. Flipping through that one, he pointed to a page, and Bonnie leaned to read over his shoulder now.

They both stared at each other in surprise. "An Alchemist's stone?" she asked.

"Not many of those around," he said.

Liv and Luke joined them at the table, both of them reading over the two grimoires, their brows knitted in concentration. Their Gaelic was awful, he knew that for a fact, and presently they turned to him, confused.

"Explain," Liv said. "Cuz all I can make out is the word 'potion.' And why are you wearing your old gloves, Kai?"

He avoided glancing at Bonnie, as he shrugged. "Nostalgic, I guess."

"Better question," Luke said, his brow furrowed in concentration on one of the books. "Why are some of these ingredients so off-putting? Ass of a snake?"

Kai snorted, while Bonnie gave his brother a sideways glance, clearly amused. "Ritual sacrifice through burning release," she said. " _Ash_ of a snake, Luke."

Her eyes found Kai's, and much as he tried not to, he couldn't help grinning at her.

"The powder from the Alchemist's stone was the primary ingredient," Bonnie explained, then she nudged Kai's elbow. "Translate the rest for me."

Swallowing from the close contact, he nonetheless maintained it, as he moved nearer to the book before her, skimming his eyes across the text. "An obscure formula that wasn't used because it mimicked illness and led to quarantine in older times. Too conspicuous."

"This part," she pointed to a line near the bottom. "Is that something about revealing one's true form?"

Impressed that she'd figured out that much on her own, he nodded, then quickly moved away, breaking contact with her arm.

"A manifest potion," she said abruptly, her face clearing.

Having another witch around in the house that could actually hold her own with the research was nice. Jo and Rachel had been the closest that he could remember, in their youth, when it came to learning anything mystical, but even their effort paled in comparison to the work he had put in. They had always had it easier than him, with magic at their fingertips, and a natural curiosity to explore them still fresh, while he'd had to make do with occasionally stolen, and sometimes gifted magic (when Jo or Dex were feeling generous). But since his return, almost all of the burden of work fell to him, as the newly minted heir, with magic of his own now that surpassed the rest of his siblings, most of whom had simply, in their adulthood, gotten lazy.

But in Bonnie he sensed a kindred spirit. Her lively interest in the pages of the grimoires reminded him of his own. And her magic was just as potent, if not more.

"Someone gave Tyler the potion because they think he's a werewolf?" asked Caroline.

"No," Matt said. "I don't think they know that. But they suspect something."

"Because I didn't go for the covenant oath," Tyler piped in weakly. "Jerks." Then he glanced at Kai. "No 'fense."

His jaw clenched. He did take that personally, very much so, because Tyler's religion had been presented as a fair right of refusal, and every single elder had consented to waiving the ritual. "We accepted your refusal. Whoever did this, is going against the coven also."

Bonnie sat with barely contained gusto, keen eyes on Tyler. Kai could tell her mind was going a thousand miles a second probably, enthusiasm obvious in her form.

"Extraction spell?" he asked her lazily.

"Yes," she agreed instantly, glancing at him, her face clearly surprised that he'd guessed her thoughts so easily.

"Extraction?" Liv frowned. "That's gonna hurt."

Kai shrugged. "Fastest way to do this," he said, then straightened as he stood, offering Bonnie a hand up.

"If we need to, we can heal him in a jiff right after." She reached for his hand, but when they touched, a spark from their fingertips caused a small jolt, and they both flinched back, while nobody seemed to notice.

Dubiously, they eyed each other, as she stood on her own.

"So it's not a hex!" Liv said, grabbing Bonnie's arm excitedly.

Bonnie laughed. "Doesn't look like it."

The atmosphere in the room lightened. He threw Bonnie a furtive glance, and the smile she gave in response was so brilliant, her eyes so pleased, and his own response to it so damn disturbing, that he had to put some more distance between them.

Maintaining a casual perch standing by the mantle, he gradually became aware of Matt and Caroline eyeing him, then looking to Bonnie, and then at each other.

 _That's right, read the subtext, idiots._

As Bonnie and his siblings put their heads together, with Tyler still on the couch behind them, Kai made his way over to the pair. With a hand in his pocket, he gave them a casual appraising stare, which they returned in spades, identical crossed arms blaring in overt distrust.

"Relax," he said. "Not here to give you a migraine or anything. Unless you ask for one."

They exchanged a glance, and then as one looked to Bonnie, who was also eyeing them now. Clearly these three had developed a kind of unspoken system amongst themselves that allowed them to easily understand each other with just body language. It looked familiar to him, something he'd seen his siblings do. But the three weren't related, and he guessed this was one of the symptoms of the disease called friendship that he'd spent most of his life avoiding.

Friends were trouble.

He sighed, then moved to the corner where the bar stood. "Want some drinks?" he asked.

Surprisingly, Matt took him up. He gave the other man a shot of whiskey, then poured himself some gin.

Caroline merely continued eyeing him doubtfully.

"I don't carry bloodbags," he said, shrugging.

The blonde narrowed her eyes. "Why did you change your mind about Tyler?" she asked, her voice high and sharp.

"Didn't change my mind about Tyler. I changed my mind about how to solve the problem he presents."

Matt downed the whiskey shot. "You didn't change your mind, period. Bonnie changed it. And now you're recruiting her to help you."

"She offered." Kai swirled his glass, before he took a drink. "I see where this is headed. You're gonna huff and puff and tell me you'll blow my house down if I don't keep away from her, right?" He smirked. "Way I look at it, she's a big girl. If she wants to spread her wings and find new friends, go new places, you can't really stop her."

Matt glowered, but Caroline, surprisingly, kept steadily watching his face. It made Kai a touch discomfited, but then, he wasn't a fan of vampires, so he would've felt that way anyhow.

"He doesn't seem stupid," Caroline said to Matt, her voice deceptively perky. "I don't think we need to warn him that if anything happens to Bonnie while she's stuck helping the nightmare coven, that she has lots and lots of vampire friends who will come here and give witches a real reason to hate us."

Kai smiled tensely, tipping his glass to her. "Noted." Then he perched on the edge of the console table, and eyed them both evenly. "Although, if you think about it? Bonnie's probably safer sticking with me. Witches with warlocks." His face registered fake surprise. "Kinda how mother nature intended. How 'bout that?"

That earned him a pair of scowls that he answered with another smirk, one that hid his worsening temper. Who the hell were they to make demands and threats, as if they hadn't put Bonnie in danger even now with this entire escapade. His glance moving to her momentarily, a sudden thought struck him that this was probably not the first time she'd ever had to go the distance for her friends.

He caught her returning the appraisal from the side of her eyes.

He took another swig from his glass, turning his attention to Matt. "Now that's out of the way, maybe we can focus on something productive. Like, have you noticed anyone else taking an interest in Tyler since yesterday?"

To his immense relief, the other man caught on to the topic. "I've been wracking my brain, but it's hard to tell." He grimaced. "The other warlocks-pretty consistent assholes to him the whole time."

"Caught anyone being chummy with him?" Kai was thinking of Noah Vansel, and his strange interest in watching the game at the bar with Tyler.

The other man shook his head. "Nobody sticks out." His face went into what Kai assumed was his deputy sheriff expression. "And I don't know anyone right now in Mystic Falls that's looking to give him any trouble."

Kai's brows rose. "Right now? So he's made enemies in the past? What're we talking here, other vampires, another pack?"

The pair shared a tense look, then eyed him cagily.

"Okay," he said, chuckling lightly. "Debating whether to hide more shit from me? Not smart. It's either full disclosure, or else we can forget this whole deal."

The other three must have sensed the tension, because they came up to join the group just as Matt heaved his shoulders, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"In the past," Caroline said, her hands gesturing nervously. "Tyler had problems with a specific vampire."

"Who, _specifically_?"

"The one who killed my mom," came Tyler's ragged voice. "I went after him. Didn't go well." His face turned to the window, staring dully outside. "He let me live."

Kai's eyes found the ceiling, then zeroed in on his sister. And then Bonnie, but she moved away just then, back to the low table near the couch.

"How is it possible," he said, his voice eerily calm. "Between a witch, a vampire, and a werewolf, that you couldn't take out this one enemy?"

"He's hard to kill," Caroline added in a small voice. "Not really your typical vampire."

"Oh." Kai laughed. "This gets better and better."

"Liv?" Luke asked, and Kai was beyond thrilled to hear anger in his tone. "Care to explain why you failed to tell me that Tyler's got this beef?"

Displeasure radiated from Luke in waves, and gave him selfish satisfaction that here, finally, was someone else in the room who had been kept in the dark.

"It's over. No beef." Tyler closed his eyes. "I made my peace with it. He's not the one."

But even if that was the truth, it still didn't change the fact that Tyler apparently knew all the wrong people. Tyler, and Bonnie, and their whole gang of misfits in that small, godforsaken town. How the hell had Liv managed to fall in with them? He quickly thought back a few years, to the time that Liv had disappeared following one of her assignments. They had been tracking another ancient group of supernaturals. The Travelers. She was supposed to have kept an eye on their movements in the south east. And she'd unfailingly given the coven the information they needed, but at the end of the assignment, hadn't bothered to return.

She wanted to take a break, she'd said.

Kai eyed Luke. "Have I mentioned this is partially your fault? You're her better half. Could've stopped this."

Luke exhaled in irritation. "Not my sister's keeper."

"I'm right here," Liv said. "And don't go acting like nobody else in the family's ever done things their own way. Hello," here she waved a hand at Luke, "gay warlock. And you," another hand at Kai. "Reformed sociopath."

Yes, he was _definitely_ going to kill his sister. He glared down at her, hoping that Bonnie hadn't caught that last part. But he could feel the weight of her stare on his back. She was seated back in her spot, the tomes open before her again. She'd been absent from the conversation, so he used that as an excuse to turn and gage her reaction.

"And what are your thoughts, hmm? You've been quiet."

"Wasting time barking up the wrong tree," she muttered. Her gaze wasn't on him anymore, though. She was studiously focused on the grimoires, which told him that she most definitely had heard the last part of Liv's comment, and was probably right now filing it away into a neat corner of her busy brain, to be picked at and overanalyzed at a later time.

 _Damn you, Liv._

"How are you so sure?"

"Because the vampire you're discussing is sort of our ally now." She gave a warning glare to him and Luke both. "Next topic."

His mind almost shut down then. This was it, he was done trying to understand her and her life. The woman was clearly bonkers. As his siblings moved to where she sat to continue their discussion, Kai moved back to the bar and poured another drink for himself, pondering his own mental state, because what did it say about him, that he was letting his lunatic siblings and their equally deranged buddies follow through on this plan?

It meant he was tired. He needed a damn vacation.

Soon, the other three witches glanced up expectantly, and he realized he'd missed a question they'd asked.

A blank look overtook his face, and Bonnie sighed in exasperation.

"Is your room where magic pools the strongest?" she repeated slowly.

"Last couple of years it has been, it's where I cast the majority of my wards."

She must have felt it, earlier. Harsh disappointment rushed over him, as he wondered if that's what her purpose had been, visiting him earlier. Had he just been manipulated again, her exploiting his obvious interest, just to figure out where in the house the power core ran? Then he saw her clear green eyes regarding him, one brow arched. As if she could read his paranoid thoughts and dared him to give voice to them. A signal that he was being obtuse, he hoped.

When she rolled her eyes, trying to hide a small smile, his diaphragm wobbled, and his chest felt full in the most smothering, ridiculous way.

Yeah, he was the one in deep shit, after all.

Minutes later, after they had gathered the ingredients for the extraction spell, he found himself crowded with the others into his small bedroom, all four witches surrounding Tyler. The other man lay within a circled pentagram on the floor, surrounded by protective stones, candles, and a thick ring of salt that lined the entire pentagram. Matt and Caroline watched from outside the open doorway, their faces grim.

It was really a tight fit, and Kai was fairly sure someone up there was having a laugh at his expense, as he stood squeezed in between the edge of his bed on one side, and Bonnie on the other. Because her bare arm was brushing his, provoking dirty thoughts, and meanwhile his siblings were across from them, and her friends just feet away.

Not exactly the ideal scenario he'd had, of him and Bonnie joining their magic. At least this spell didn't require anyone holding hands. That would've been the pits, although his gloves would keep Bonnie from knowing that his palms were sweaty.

He cleared his head, beginning the incantation. Since it was his room, his magical center, the other three followed his suit. He felt the familiar rush of his siblings' tendrils of power, tethering to his, and then suddenly the tentative touch of heavier magic, reigned in to feel like a soft blanket enshrouding them all. Bonnie, trying to be comforting, but it wasn't working, for him at least. Clamping down on the surge of his own magic straining to collide with hers, goosebumps rose on his skin. With gritted teeth, he focused on not bumbling the words to the spell.

The flames flared brighter around Tyler, as the stones that rested on the five points of the symbol floated up, threads of magic connecting them in a star symbol above his form. His body jerked in a sudden seizure, his face contorting into a grimace.

As the four continued to chant, Tyler's body burned red, then amber, and little particles began seeping out of his body, tiny silver flecks floating up and away. A groan of pain escaped him, as his body continued to spasm.

A spark of magic faded out, and the silver particles hovered momentarily. Liv had quit chanting, her horrified face pinned on Tyler's uncontrollable movements.

"Tyler," she whispered.

Bonnie's voice kicked up, the flames around them blazing higher in response. Tyler opened his eyes, amber glowing out from them, and yelped in agony as his body arched up inhumanly, bones cracking.

Magic again receded, this time as Luke broke off, his expression perturbed. "We should stop," he said.

Kai looked towards Bonnie, but she kept grimly on, the incantation pouring from her lips. Her eyes determined, she reached for Kai's gloved hands.

When their fingers touched, more of his magic coursed out of his body in a frenzied search for hers. Their threads tangled together, swirling wildly, and a ring of fire roared to full life around Tyler.

Air in the room grew stifling, as their combined magic saturated the walls. Luke and Liv backed away, almost out of the door. Kai broke into a sweat, relieved to see a matching sheen on Bonnie's face as their voices mingled together in chanting. It was like he couldn't breathe, but also didn't need to, as their channeling fed him, became all he needed to exist. The room spun, the ground feeling like it was no longer beneath his feet.

Meanwhile, the star pattern hovering over Tyler grew impossibly bright, as the protective stones connecting them dissolved. Around that the circle of fire rose almost up to the ceiling now. Tyler's body grew still, silver particles now streaking out at a furious rate, absorbed into the center of the glowing star.

The fused magic between Kai and Bonnie condensed, growing into a tight, small center. A sense of losing gravity settled over him, and he gripped her hand tightly, using her as his anchor. The fire abruptly disappeared with a whoosh, along with the star, right into the small ball of power hovering between him and Bonnie. All the while sweat poured into his brow, but damn if he could tell, as he was getting dragged into that ball himself, just like her, their bodies opposite ends of a magical band stretching out of all proportion, seeking only to collapse back into its proper shape. That shape being one with her.

The ball pulsed once, twice, and then without warning exploded out, blindingly bright, the force of the invisible blast heaving everyone off their feet as the walls shook, furniture broke, the floor trembled, and glass from the ceiling light and windows shattered violently.

Utter quiet stretched for long seconds.

And then-

"Well, that was bracing," came Tyler's voice.

Stunned, Kai took his first proper breath in minutes, deeply and with some pain.

"And awesome. I feel like a new man."

He heard everyone picking themselves up from the floor to rush to Tyler. As their murmur of concern faded into delight, Kai continued to lay on his back, measuring his breathing until it came out even. What the hell just happened, he wasn't really sure, but he knew he definitely wanted to try that again. And without any witnesses, next time. Kai rolled his head and found Bonnie on her side, her face in a total daze as she returned his appraisal.

Luke walked to Bonnie, helping her to her feet. Kai sat up, clearing his head, eyeing the small silver stone in the center of the now dormant pentagram.

Liv picked it up. "I've never seen a silver Alchemist's stone."

Tyler squinted at it. "How the hell did that end up inside me? It's like the size of a suppository."

"Thanks for the imagery, Ty," Matt said.

"You forget it was in powder form, mixed into a formula," Luke pointed out. "Someone snuck it into your food or your drink."

"I knew I shouldn't have let you go to the pool hall," Liv muttered, as she handed the stone to Kai.

He slipped it wordlessly into the inner pocket of his jacket because just right then, he wasn't capable of higher thinking. It would have to wait until he returned to normal.

The others discussed leaving for the resort, a fully re-energized Tyler spearheading the plan. He came up and offered Kai a grateful clap on his shoulder, to which Kai just gave a brief, absent nod, again because he still couldn't think straight. They all left, trailing downstairs, and he stood for a moment in the middle of the room taking in the mess.

Bonnie slipped back inside.

He stared at her dumbly, fighting against the shudder of want overtaking him.

"Thought I'd help you clean up," she said in a quiet voice.

"You should go," he said brusquely.

A flash of hurt crossed her face that disappeared quickly. She shrugged. "If you say so. And thanks, by the way," she added, on the verge of leaving.

He was sighing in relief, when she turned around again, curiosity on her face. "Can I have a look at the stone?"

"Why?"

She walked closer, making him want to punch a wall because the infernal woman was acting like what just happened with their magic was nothing. So nonchalant, and meanwhile he was trying to wrap his head around how the world had completely tilted on a new axis for him. He had never, ever channeled magic through another witch with such mind blowing effect.

"I was thinking, alchemist's metals were made to transmute, right?" She chewed on her lip. "Maybe these stones work the same? I just wanted a look."

He tried to follow her line of thinking, but couldn't tear his attention away from her mouth.

"Come and get it, then," he said, tauntingly.

That peculiar look, the stubborn one that he was getting to know pretty well, settled on her face. Her aura flared to life around her.

She strode up to him, no longer so free and casual as she'd been a moment ago. With suspicious eyes, she put her hand up to his chest. He kept his gaze on her the entire time, as she slid her fingers under his jacket, and reached inside.

The door to his room clicked shut behind them, as he put a hand on her wrist, stalling her movement. His brain had whispered a suggestion-probably a bad one, but right now he couldn't be bothered to worry about the consequences.

"Remember how I said you needed to pay a tribute?" he asked, his voice low.

Her eyes fluttered, brows furrowing in confusion. "You said you would let me go."

"I lied."

"Wha-"

He swooped down and kissed her. She froze. Pressing firmly against the luscious curve of her lips, he tilted his head to the side for a better angle, waiting for her to unclench and just let it happen. It couldn't be all him, he was tired of fighting it, and wished just then that she could admit the same. He reached his fingers up, caressing her jaw and then her cheek, relishing her soft skin and silky mouth. Even if all she did was stand there, at least she wasn't pushing him away.

But he couldn't keep this up on his own, and if she was going to be mulish, he had to back down. When she continued to stay unmoved, disappointment flooded him, and with a last stroke of his fingers under her chin, he swept a final brush of his mouth against hers, and pulled away.

Her hands grabbed his face and drew him back in, capturing his lips.

 _YES._

She opened hers with a small sigh, and as his tongue found hers, he almost whooped with glee because dammit, something needed to go his way for once. His hands wrapped around her waist, drawing her body tightly against his, as waves of their magic crashed against each other, power calling to power.

Entangled even more fiercely than they had been earlier at the lodge, desperation fueled their mouths together, their tongues colliding over and over in frenzied strokes. He didn't bring any of his usual finesse to it; inside him was a manic urge to practically eat this woman alive right now. His hands lifted her by her ass, her legs wrapping around him as they bumped against the nightstand. They settled there, mouths greedy, hands moreso.

"Shh," she said, which didn't strike him as strange, he knew what she meant. As their mouths pressed together, their bodies sliding intimately, their magic reacted too loud, causing slight tremors to travel the walls and lighting up the room again, a joined magical helix forming around them that mimicked the movement of their bodies.

She drew back, her eyes a tempting mix of lust and panic.

He nodded, willing himself to calm, closing his eyes and resting his forehead to hers. She used a similar effort, and soon their magic quieted, pulsing but no longer overwhelming.

"You taste like pork rinds," she said, her soft laugh muffled against his skin.

"Sorry," he murmured, bending down to kiss her once more.

They crashed together again, her impatient hands shoving his tuxedo jacket off his shoulders. He did her one better, disintegrating her shirt with a thought. She gasped, laughing against his mouth, and he swept his tongue inside again, lapping greedily at hers. She tore buttons pulling his shirt out from where it partially tucked into his pants, scraping her nails up against his abdomen as she ran her hands up against his chest. He groaned into her mouth, against her tongue, and she swirled hers softly. How she had the presence of mind to be teasing about it, he couldn't fathom. His main thought, gripping him with a mad sense of urgency, was of their bare skin rubbing in the oldest friction known to man, but he fought for patience, because this-this was also fine with him.

He was willing to take whatever crumbs she would give.

Her hands moved around his shoulders, threading through his hair, as he dropped his head to nip at her neck, and trail downwards. He felt her fingers lightly tracing the faint outlines of the scars on his back, her touch hesitant and tender. She didn't look at him differently, though, didn't break away to ask questions, only sighed softly into his mouth and kissed him with renewed vigor. Roughly slipping her bra strap down her arms, drawing them lower, he planted sucking kisses on the golden skin of one bare shoulder. He pushed her bra down all the way, rubbing his face against the valley of her breasts as he grabbed her again and landed them both hard on the bed that was already cracked from their earlier spell.

The wood splintered, loudly. They pulled apart, wide eyed.

There was a vampire with super good hearing downstairs.

More slowly, and with infinitely more quiet, Bonnie adjusted herself, straddling him. The bed was so damn small, he wasn't sure if it could hold both their weight.

"This mattress hasn't been tested yet," he murmured against her mouth.

She laughed again, a cat-that-got-the-cream smile lighting her face that promised so much sin he could've sworn he felt more pre-cum leak out. He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent, running kisses along her jaw, feeling like a fourteen year old virgin.

She kissed his nose when he leaned back to look at her, and then her face abruptly shifted, her eyes far off, like she was lost in memory.

"Where'd you go?" he asked softly.

She shook her head, but he didn't miss the shadows in her eyes that hadn't been there just seconds ago.

More secrets. He was okay with it for now, as their mouths and tongues melded together again, fumbling and eager.

Her bra hung haphazardly around her hips and he broke its clasps, chucking it to the side, as she drew down the waistband of his pants. Unbuttoning her jeans, his tongue flicked hers more gently, before he arched her backwards a little to give attention to her gloriously bare breasts.

"Kai," she moaned, his hands squeezing one, then the other, rubbing around the pointed dark buds with his thumbs, following it up with his lips.

Her hips ground against him, and his hands went around to her ass, cupping and kneading and helping her along.

Feeling the warmth in the crotch of her jeans, he slipped his gloved hands under her waistband. He'd never fingered anyone while wearing gloves before, and the thought of doing it to Bonnie made his stiff penis throb almost in pain. Her teeth and mouth had found the lobe of his ear, her little bites and teasing licks driving him past the point of sanity. Shivering, he pushed aside the crotch of her panties, and slid his fingers inside her folds.

Her gasp filled the room, as her mouth stilled against his ear. That would teach her.

His lips found hers again, and he swallowed her next moan, as her magic crested to life brightly around her. With his other hand, he cupped the back of her head, sharing another slow, wet kiss. Bonnie-Bonnie fucking _Bennett_ -began riding his gloved fingers.

 _Unreal. And so fucking right._

He pumped teasingly at first, soon finding the rhythm she liked. She arched herself backwards, biting back a cry. He lowered his mouth to alternate sucking her nipples, as he increased the pace of his fingers. Her head dropped against his, her eyes closing in a concentrated mask of pleasure as she drove her hips into his hand, her teeth clamped on her lower lip. His erection strained with every one of her movements, bumping roughly against her. One of her hands gripped the back of his neck as her soft, quiet moans became insistent. With her other hand, she reached down, and used her magic to rip his pants, freeing him.

Cursing, he watched as he sprung out to attention, and her hands wrapped firmly over and around his aching length, stroking. She slid her own fingers lazily along his gloved ones that were still stroking her. He held his breath, watching her dip into her own wetness, and then return to his shaft, spreading her juices there as she pumped him up and down.

Kai almost blacked out from arousal. "Fuck, Bonnie," he gasped, and then drove his tongue furiously into her mouth. She was trying to kill him, this was how he would die, from her hand job.

The walls started shaking again. Through the fog in his head, he felt the other effects of their magic starting to spin out of control, as the air thickened, loose and spiraling slivers of magic starting to whirl around them, the broken remnants of the light fixture sparking into more cracks. The bed rattled louder, although that was partly from their hips bucking towards each other's hands with increasing need.

"Wait," he groaned.

She opened her eyes, and then frowned at him open-mouthed, when his fingers suddenly stopped moving.

"What're you doing?" she hissed, pausing her own ministrations.

Coming, or about to-he was thinking doggedly, but that was only partially correct. He struggled to think. Oh, right. He was trying to warn her.

"Our magic -" he stopped, tilting his head around the room, and the expansion of movement and colors around, as if his room held a tiny fault line and they were sitting atop a minor earthquake with the aurora borealis as the backdrop.

She glared at him, her expression entirely one that said, 'I don't give a shit,' but then she came to her senses.

"Oh." She dropped her head against his, her hips slowing their tortuous rotation against his. "Dammit, Kai."

"We don't have to stop," he said.

"We didn't have to _start_ ," she retorted, but ended her scolding by kissing him forcefully.

He flipped them on the bed, landing on his back, maintaining her straddling position. "We just have to be quieter," he said, sliding her jeans off, directing a look of permission her way as he did so.

Her face when she gazed down was full of surrender and eagerness and simple need. So he was stunned when she shook her head. "We have to stop," she muttered.

He heard the word 'stop,' but her face didn't match the instruction, and so in his lust-driven haze, he could only gape in confusion. And then groaned, teeth clenched, when she continued to rub herself against him.

His hands were sliding her jeans down again, and she was letting him, helping him even, her bare hips and ass beginning to reveal themselves to his hungry gaze-when an unpleasant tingle spread around his brain, that signaled a vampire was approaching.

 _Fuck the timing._

Oh, he was going to murder someone.

He swore, then sat up, pushing her to him for another invasive kiss as he slammed his hips against her one more time, his fingers clutching tight to her ass as his erection hit exactly at the moist spot in the middle of her jeans. He bit down on her lower lip, hard enough to draw a little blood.

"Oh!" Swollen-lipped and eyes hazy with pleasure and shock, Bonnie blinked at him as he gently disentangled their limbs. She put a hand to her mouth. "What was that for?"

He brushed a softer kiss on her lips. "Tribute," he said, winking. And also, a little bit, marking her as his. Because after this, no fucking chance in hell was he letting anything else get in the way of his pursuit of this woman. Although she didn't have to know that yet. "We've got incoming, Bon."

So fast that it made his brain spin, Bonnie shoved off him, her eyes closed in concentration.

He felt her magic skip around the room, lightning fast, a deft, teasing pulse in the air, and within seconds, not only were her clothes and his back on, but his tux was restored back into mint and shiny shape. And his gloves were gone. The room faded back to normalcy.

He lifted a brow in surprise, impressed, then reached out to squeeze her breasts.

Swallowing a gasp, she evaded his attempt at another touch and walked to the window, a hand flung out. "Come in," she called over her shoulder, and he admired that, too, because her voice was only a little strangled.

Right before the door opened, he put his own fingers up to the ceiling.

Liv walked in, followed by Caroline and Matt, just in time to witness the light fixture and the glass in the window get repaired.

"Oh," Liv said, in tones of relief. "That's what you guys were up to."

Kai almost laughed at the disbelief that flickered over the faces of Bonnie's friends, hearing Liv. His sister was usually not slow on the uptake. But all the drama of the day, combined with her already bridezilla brain, was clearly taxing her observation skills.

Downstairs, they found Luke and Tyler waiting impatiently. "Took a while there, bro," Luke said, his face knowing.

Kai shot him a careless smile. "We made a big mess."

In more ways than one.

Bonnie avoided his eyes, as Liv and Caroline approached her. He watched the three speak in hushed tones for a few moments, glancing his way every so often. Then Liv's face took on what could only be a look of determination.

When she walked up to him a few seconds later, her blatant air of entreaty spoke volumes.

"What now?" he asked in bored tones.

A mulish look crossed her face. "Caroline's my friend," his sister said. "And she pretty much single-handedly planned a lot of the details for this wedding."

"I don't care," Kai said. "She can't come. Unless you want to be on the receiving end of an entire coven's death glares," he addressed this directly to Caroline. "And I mean literal death. That means actual, in case you didn't know."

Caroline's face became indignant. "But we can avoid that if you guys hide me."

He frowned.

Caroline drew Bonnie forward, gently nudging her friend by the shoulders. "Bonnie thinks the veil spell can be done on me, too." The blonde smiled brightly. "Between the four of you, she says it's enough power to hide me, her, and Tyler."

With a mental sigh, Kai turned his eyes to the ceiling.

"Bonnie also thinks it's a great idea to have me along, because hello, enhanced hearing, speed, and strength over here. Not to mention, skilled at schmoozing. I might be able to help find out who slipped Tyler that mystical powder last night." Here she glanced at Bonnie. "You and Luke are sure it happened during the bachelor party?"

Bonnie and Luke glanced at each other, nodding.

Kai smiled tightly. "And has Bonnie also lost her ability to speak?" directing the question to the woman herself, willing her to look at him.

 _Come on, Bonnie._

When she finally did, all thoughts of argument fled his brain.

He had told her yesterday, which seemed like ages ago, that she emoted too much. And it still held true today, because right now, underneath the irritation she was pointedly sending his way, her face was flushed the slightest tinge of pink, and her eyes held a spark of something that he was sure was turning his own cheeks warm and ears red.

To hide the grin that was threatening to erupt from his face, he bit down on his mouth as he put his hands in his pockets.

Bonnie crossed her arms, glancing away again. "Are you asking my permission?" she asked in annoyance. "Didn't think the Gemini coven heir needed that."

He couldn't help smirking. "You're right, I _am_ mega powerful," he drawled.

"And hopefully a little intelligent. Anyone with half a brain can see that Caroline being there would be a huge plus."

Point to her, although he'd be damned if was going to admit it. If they were willing to risk the vampire's neck, it wouldn't be on his hands.

"Don't come crying to me if something happens to her." He turned to Matt. "You stick with her. I don't want any problems from either of you." Then he laughed a bit. "Cute, isn't it? You're a cop, and now you'll have your K9."

That earned him a whole new round of glares, effectively distracting them from noticing that he was just a tad nervous. He made an exaggerated show of agreeing to help with the spell, hoping that it wouldn't need him to channel Bonnie directly again. Minutes later, when they dropped the veil, Kai was relieved to find that it lasted only a few seconds. Bonnie and Liv had perfected their method, and he and Luke barely needed to add to their effort.

Because merging his powers once more with Bonnie's now for an extended time would have made for an incredibly awkward return to the lodge for him, having to rejoin all those guests while sporting a boner.

As they gathered at the front of the house for the teleportation spell, Kai looked to the cottage, focusing on the cloaking spell that he had lifted to get Bonnie and her friends inside earlier. His home shimmered out of view, shields back in place that would hide it from prying eyes. Stepping closer to the group, he caught Bonnie studying the vast field of emptiness. Maybe he was reading into it too much, but there seemed to be sorrow in her expression, which he couldn't understand.

Though her visit had started out bleakly, in the end, what she'd left behind for him were new memories of his childhood home, far happier ones compared to the old.

* * *

A/N:

Hi, guys. Once again, thanks so much for all the reviews. I started this because I felt like I needed to right the wrong that TVD writers did to these two amazing characters, and now I keep plugging away because of the input and love. That said, thought I should try to directly reply to some of you awesome peeps...and if I miss anyone, it's not on purpose, so pls. don't egg me! * ducks *

Tehzo: Glad you enjoy the lighter parts of the story. I thought it fit Kai, to flip from threatening her friend to basically hitting on Bonnie with the play nurse bit. And I agree with you about being protective of Bonnie, been a fan of hers since season 1, so between Kai and her, I'm definitely team Bonnie. That said, I really despise how the writers keep sticking her head up her friends' collective butts (specifically Elena and the Salvatores), at the expense of Kai particularly at the end of this season. I think that sort of came out when I wrote Maggie's perspective LOL

Guest reviewer w/ the comment about Bonnie's mom: You're spot on about Abby. You'll definitely see her brought up later.

Frust-sheep and the other guests who want the Parker-Bennett twin babies: you mean the big belly A/U cameo in chapter 11 wasn't enough? ;)

Babaksmiles: you'll see Bonnie's life addressed soon. I had it in one of the earlier chapters, but it got bloated, so I cut it out to add to an upcoming. Definitely agree, girl's had it rough, and Kai will get an earful about that.

Minstorai: thanks for liking my dialogue...it's the hardest thing sometimes LOL...appreciate it.

Practicallycharmed, shydeep, bitchwheresmyupdate, and kaya: glad you guys are enjoying, and I'm trying to write as fast as I can LOL

Shoney, bonkai addict, le1anaberrie, juststockton: love all your fabulous insights. They really help me fine tune a lot of things in the story. When I read the reviews is how I know to focus on something here or there, or if I missed something with the characters, so thanks for including so much detail when you give feedback, much appreciated, because it sort of keeps me straight. So hopefully I'll keep blasting you with bonkai feels (good or bad) :) Oh, and le1anaberrie, I'm gonna need the next chapter of of Yibbum...pronto...LOL

Yocupcake: Poor Matt and Tyler. Well, Tyler won't be as useless following this chapter. And Matt might surprise us. I think we're on the same mental wavelength with the updates...it's either Mon/Thurs for me or Tues/Fri. If only work and family would quit getting in the way LOL...I don't know how you do it, you've got multiple stories going on...which I'm behind on reading, and will need to correct that soon :)


	17. Chapter 17

_CHAPTER SEVENTEEN_

Contrary to all her earlier expectations, Bonnie actually managed to get dolled up for the wedding. Dress, shoes, make-up, accessories. Check.

After arriving at the lodge, Caroline had disappeared for a few minutes, reappearing with a pale blue strapless dress of her own and another shopping bag that she'd hoisted on Bonnie. "I insist, because knowing you, what you've got going on under the dress is your sturdiest undergarments, ready for battle. And that's a no-no," Caroline had added, almost a little threateningly.

So because her friend insisted, Bonnie even managed to change into a sexier bra and panty set.

"Never know who you might need to impress," the blonde vampire had added with a suspicious twinkle in her eye, as she used the curler to add waves into strands of Bonnie's hair. The finishing touch.

For the occasion, Bonnie had a cocktail dress that she'd bought for another event a couple months back. Because she'd gotten caught up with a side case, she'd missed the evening out, so the dress still had its tags. Caroline seemed to approve, which was rare since she usually accused Bonnie of dressing like a hippy librarian, purposely picking inconspicuous clothes that had no 'oomph.' Her exact words.

The dress was a simple form fitting lace sheath, the lining ending at the bustline, with the sweetheart neckline, upper back and shoulders made of sheer lace that ended with fluttery cap sleeves. Reaching mid-thigh, it would have been demure, but in the back was a large triangular opening, framed in sheer lace, that dipped much lower than what Bonnie usually went for, all the way to the inwards curve of her lower spine. She loved its antique touches and the softness of the material, and how snug and comfortable it was, and also, yes, how sexy it made her feel. Paired with nude strappy sandals, her pendant, and earrings, she realized, as she looked in the mirror, that it was the first time in far too long that she'd treated herself to this.

But of course, the chances were slim that she would get to enjoy herself.

Sure, Tyler was better, their plan was back on track, and her friends were about to get their happily-ever-after. But who had slipped Tyler the manifest potion and what that person would try next occupied her concerns.

And then there was Kai.

"I know at least one guy who's going to forget his name when he sees you. And his name rhymes with 'Hi.' Just so we're clear."

How often Caroline kept bringing him up told Bonnie that her friend's enhanced hearing had probably picked up on what happened in Kai's room earlier. She studiously avoided replying to anything Caroline said, though.

"C'mon, spare me no details. I know you weren't in that room just cleaning. Even if I didn't hear you guys, hello, two powerful witches don't spend fifteen minutes fixing stuff that a spell can do in less than three!"

She didn't want to talk about Kai. She didn't even want to think about him.

When Caroline got a text from Matt for both of them to meet downstairs, Bonnie was quick to jump at the chance to escape the room and turn her friend's mind away from the interrogation.

Making their way to the lobby, Bonnie didn't see any other guests. "We're the stragglers," she said.

Matt came out from around the corner, followed by Tyler, looking dashing and-most important- _healthy_ , in his tuxedo.

"Wow, you two," Matt said, approval on his face as he took in their appearances.

"Not bad yourself, Donovan," Caroline replied, but still doing a little twirl of her ice blue chiffon skirt. "And Tyler, hooray for ditching the zombie face! You look amazing." She went up to hug him, and the two shared an affectionate smile. Years ago in high school, Bonnie would have thought Caroline would be the one to be walking down the aisle, with Tyler waiting at the end of it. But life had taken them down different paths.

"Bonnie," Tyler approached, then proceeded to engulf her in a tight hug. He poured gratitude and affection into the gesture, and she returned it. He had spent far too many recent years mired in grief and anger, losing pieces of the excitable little boy she'd known since elementary school. Since Liv walked into his life, that little boy had slowly been peeking through more and more. And now he looked whole and himself again.

"Thanks," he whispered, laconic as usual, but his brown eyes suspiciously bright.

"Be happy, Tyler" she said, squeezing his arms. "And I'll kill you if you make me cry, because Caroline _will_ force me to redo my make up."

All four burst into laughter, as they stood within a loose circle, grinning at each other.

"I vote for the next wedding being in Vegas," Tyler joked. "Quick, clean, Elvis."

"I second that," Matt piped in.

"Strongly vetoed," Bonnie said, biting down a laugh.

"I second that veto," Caroline said, "and will compel all memories of it away if anyone even tries."

Bonnie pretended to think. "Can't compel mine, so I would still remember."

"And me," Tyler said.

"Me, too," Matt added. "I'm on vervain, remember?"

Caroline's hands went up in mock annoyance. "Come on, you guys. I've just whetted my appetite with this wedding. Next one will be either Matt's or Bonnie's, and I fully expect to have total planning rights. So. No Vegas."

Bonnie linked her arms through her friend's, as they made their way outside, following the signs to where the ceremony was being held. "Now why wouldn't yours be the next wedding, Care?"

Her friend let out a little tinkle of laughter, letting Matt and Tyler move ahead of them. "Are you kidding? I'm all about doing me right now. No way am I giving that up." Then she whispered conspiratorially. "You never told me how great it is."

Bonnie smiled in return, never mind that it felt just a little forced.

Her friend eyed her thoughtfully. "Then again, you might have spent way too long on the other end of the spectrum from me. I was never single enough, but you lone-wolfed it too long."

 _...she emptied another wine glass, studying a grimoire while pointedly ignoring his heated gaze on her face..._

Chin jutting, Bonnie resolutely squashed the memory of that other world, wishing yet again that she had never met Maggie Durant.

"Know something, Bon, it's also kind of nice having the right guy move into your orbit."

Bonnie snorted. "I wouldn't know. But the point is, you have years ahead of you until the next wedding, so I think you can chill for a little bit, Care."

"Seriously," Matt said. "With all the work I do," and then he nodded to Bonnie, "and her, too, it might be at least a decade before either of us has time for even a coffee date."

They were harmless words, meaning nothing except as a throwaway joke, but they stuck in Bonnie's head on a loop as she thought of breakfast, drinking a steaming cup of coffee and sharing pastries and philosophic discussions with Kai. It felt like eons since then, and why was it that since meeting him time ran differently, every moment with him amplified in intensity? She wasn't the kind of girl that could usually be found shoving her tongue down a man's throat just a day after meeting him. This supposedly all-important connection between them had to count for something, was her best guess. And she'd rather kiss him than kill him, at least in this universe. Although not always.

These thoughts held sway, as she walked with her friends. The path they followed led deeper into the forest, through a picturesque idyllic view of landscaping that made the most of untouched nature. The westbound trail was bordered by smaller trees with branches that curved overhead, acting as a frame. Sunlight filtered through its branches, casting gold along the way. As they strolled down together, joking and laughing, Bonnie filtered out her nerves, allowing the peacefulness of the setting to calm her. Along the way they passed other stragglers, some couples arm in arm, others with their families, most of them at ease or smiling excitedly. Bonnie felt anticipation building also, the good kind that could appreciate a gathering such as this. The setting was beautiful, and more importantly, once this was over, the largest part of their work would be done.

Presently, the signs led to a smaller path which opened into a clearing. Bonnie had expected a simple, woodsy type of atmosphere, but what awaited them instead was an enormous grove of giant redwood trees, forming a large circle. Around the roots and trunks of all the trees in the circle, gleamed jade and gold interweaving strands of magic, made to look like decoration. Above them floated gigantic round rattan balls, some as large as a sedan, rotating slowly and pulsing with an alternating flicker of light. She peered closer and saw cutouts in the branches, some with patterns of animals, or of nature, others of symbols such as a lock and a key. The largest of the balls offered a picture of two identical figures, partially superimposed over the other, with a jagged bolt of lightning piercing through both forms. Gemini twins.

Suddenly her trip to England floated to mind, and she remembered the history of heraldry that had fascinated her at one of the museums she'd visited.

These rattan cutouts were the coven's version of heraldry, the large one with the twins clearly the Parker family crest.

"Wow," Caroline breathed, her face in wonder at the setting. "It's like a forest wonderland."

Bonnie would have appreciated it more, if roughly a hundred heads hadn't turned just then towards them. They weren't the only late arrivals, as a few trickled in with them, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she and her friends were the only ones wearing a collective, glowing red bullseye. Mingled strands of magic reached her, non-hostile and generally pleasant, but nerve-wracking nonetheless.

With his high school football captain game face on, Tyler led them further into the grove.

"You planned all this?" Matt asked of Caroline.

"Not this part," she replied.

The sun cast intricate patterns through the high branches, its golden aura lending a storybook touch to what was already a majestic and yet intimate atmosphere. Over a hundred rustic wooden chairs were arranged in a semi-circle towards the far end of the grove. Many of the guests were already seated. At the far end, between the two largest redwoods, was a raised, rusticated dais, framed by an arch made of intricately woven branches. It was simply dressed, but there was an unusual shine to the branches that Bonnie saw was an additional layer of magic. Beside the arch, situated on the edge of the two redwoods that essentially formed the altar were a pair of two giant statues, with two faces and forms on each side. They towered over the altar, imposing and more than a little out of place. Bonnie studied the faces on the statues, withholding a shiver at the red-tinted eyes that glared back out.

"That looks almost demonic," she heard Matt mutter.

Tyler let out a whoosh of air through pursed lips. "All right, boys and girls, wish me luck," he said, striding down the white path that cut across the center of the grove, Matt following closely behind.

Magic soaked the air in the grove, but it came across as subdued, soothing to her overworked senses. At least the Geminis were keeping their people in line. According to Liv, sometimes it got iffy, and these things ended up becoming a show of one upmanship. Bonnie tried to find an area of the seats in the back where a pocket of non-magical people had settled, but there really was no way to grab a pair of seats like that. The humans were scattered all over, no rhyme or reason for the most part.

An usher came forward, ready to attend to them but Luke sidestepped him. "I got this," he said, indicating to Caroline and Bonnie as he led them away from the back row. She could feel curious eyes on them as they walked. It filled her with unease.

"What're you doing?" hissed Bonnie.

"Seating you, what's it look like?"

"We're supposed to be in the last row, remember?" Bonnie frowned, because he was walking way too much towards the front. "Less conspicuous that way."

"Well, see," he said wryly. "Plan changed."

"What? Why would-" she broke off, as it hit her.

Kai.

Her eyes swept across the crowd and, somehow without fail, found him standing off to the side of the very front, speaking with a small group of people. Some of them appeared entirely too joyless to even be in attendance, and she wondered if they were having the kind of day she was, and if her countenance matched theirs. The stray thought made her school her face into something neutral and pleasing, like a watered-down version of her old cheerleader perkiness from years ago.

Then she saw two younger women flanking him, their smiles the total opposite of joyless, and Bonnie stumbled a little, hitting Luke's back when he stopped beside a row, indicating their spots. Second from the front, and not even to the very edge of the row on the far side (where they could easily slip away so few would notice), but the seats right next to the middle of the aisle. The opposite of inconspicuous.

"If this is your brother's idea," she whispered with false cheer. "I may end up choking him."

Luke shrugged. "Feel free to try."

She took a seat beside Caroline, who had zero complaints about the change of seats and showed it by smiling excitedly. Bonnie managed a small sigh, then proceeded to avoid looking to the left. Instead, she glanced everywhere else, checking for possible exit points. Sitting in the back had served two reasons-quickest way out and also the best chance of stalling potential unwanted last-minute visitors. Now those had been taken away, and she wasn't even sure why.

Involuntarily, the corner of her eyes found Kai, whose gaze was fully locked on her.

With her luck, he'd probably seen her tripping, but what did that matter, in the face of her urge to throttle him. Why had he changed their damn seats?

She gave up, and finally threw him an angry scowl.

The corner of his lips twitched into a familiar smirk.

"Ugh," she let out.

"What's wrong?" asked Caroline.

"Nothing," she said sullenly. "Are you picking up on anything?"

"Outside of your erratic heartbeat and Tyler's over-perspiration," her friend said. "No. Everyone else seems really chill right now." Her friend patted her hand. "Try to calm down, Bon. Anyway, read his body language, his chest isn't even facing them."

Bonnie lifted a confused brow. "What're you talking about?"

"Actually, he's facing you."

"Caroline," she said, wondering when her friend had taken a mental leave of absence. "I'm seriously worried for you."

"Isn't that what you were moping about?"

"No. I'm not moping, I'm pissed! We're like sitting ducks here, the back row was a good vantage point. Kind of lost our best exits."

"Oh, right." Her friend's smile turned sheepish. "Not to worry. I can bulldoze us one." Then her brow quirked. "So you really don't notice that those women are throwing themselves at Kai?"

"Why would I care?"

Her friend sighed. "Bonnie. Now _I'm_ seriously worried for _you_."

She was lying, of course, because yes, women had been flaunting themselves at Kai the whole weekend and Bonnie was in possession of eyes to see it and a brain to understand their motivations. Maggie had also spelled it out in bright, bold letters. Bonnie didn't hold it against the other women in the least. At one point, she even hoped more of them would pop up to do so, if only to deflect his attention. And then after getting to know him, the part of her that liked being a self-sacrificing lamb wished there were other contenders for his attention in the coven, just to keep Fiona at bay, because she hated the bitch and her obvious ploy to become the alpha female in the coven.

Now, watching the small group huddled in front, seeing Fiona at the edge of it, her hungry eyes on Kai, Bonnie happily took in the pleasant buzz of magic hovering around the other two women. And she felt glad-truthfully, relieved-that in fact there _were_ other contenders.

The problem lay in the details. In a general, for the collective good way, she was relieved, but then her brain would go into overdrive, offering little flashbacks of what happened with Kai in his bedroom, and his magic and his mouth and his touch-his fingers, inside her, drawing out her hunger. Making her bite her lip, and seek out a pillow to muffle a scream into, because it hadn't been that good before, and she'd never been so incredibly frustrated, in every way that mattered. Not with Jeremy, or the other few guys that had come after. And one of those few men had been a witch, an experiment of sorts for Bonnie, when she'd taken a trip to get to know herself and the world, after graduating college. She'd been curious to see what intimacy with another witch would feel like. The brief interlude had been nice. Just...nice.

Her and Kai...it wasn't that. Nice? No, it was _need_. Plain, simple need, which had never before struck her as something missing from her life. Truthfully, it didn't seem healthy. But the thought of what happened between them, happening between him and another woman? Well, there went an overwhelming desire to _burn_ something, or someone, for one. And then for the other, this gut-clenching urge to puke every one of her organs out, the first ones being her lungs and heart.

Hell, yeah, I notice-she wanted to tell her friend, but didn't, because acknowledging such a reaction would make walking away from him that much harder.

So it really was better, knowing he had distractions waiting. Knowing what she knew now about him, and his awful childhood in that cheerful looking house that kept the secret of abuse so well, Kai deserved as many of them as life could throw his way. No wonder now why he carried sex appeal like a shield; it was his easiest way to indulge in human touch, which had probably been missing for much of his childhood. When they left his family home, and she had seen it disappear before their eyes, part of her wondered why he even bothered going to all the trouble. His siblings, she could understand if they were attached to it, they at least had had a better childhood experience. But him?

Maybe he liked picking at that particular scab.

But she was dwelling far too much on someone she'd been hell-bent on not thinking of.

She turned her focus on Tyler and Matt, both of them appearing nervous to her eye but doing their damned best not to show it. An encouraging smile from her, and a little wave from Caroline, seemed to give them small comfort. Matt's bow was a little askew, and Bonnie made a gesture to it, but his attempt to fix it only made it more crooked, and he shrugged, then winked. She laughed softly, shaking her head.

And felt warmth suddenly suffusing her face, like she was under a brightly lit microscope.

Without looking, she knew whose hairy eyeball was on her, and wished profusely that she could set fire to it without any consequences. Why was this happening? They had actual problems here, but Kai wanted to play musical chairs and engage in a staring contest that spanned yards and would garner unwanted attention. And there was Caroline, scrutinizing her reaction to the man and his groupies. Double ugh. So far a third of the population of people that she was in cahoots with were displaying some questionable priorities.

She took great painstaking care to focus on her immediate companions for the next several minutes. This was way she could at least gage how likely they were to present themselves as obstacles if something went down. Though their auras gave off the same slivers of magic that stamped them as Gemini witches, they seemed pleasant enough, chatting with her and Caroline about the setting, and their time so far at the lodge. Listening to them raving about their wonderful, relaxing weekend, Bonnie let a bubble of laughter drift up when they asked her if she had a similar experience.

"Sure, yeah," was all she could do.

Then she felt an elbow digging into her side, and she glanced at Caroline, who nodded up to the front.

Kai was disengaging himself from his group, and sauntering easily down the aisle towards them. Every so often, someone hailed him from their seat, and each time he stopped to chat briefly, giving the impression of being a social butterfly. Here was the coven politician in him coming out to play, and it weirded her out, seeing him this way. Never mind that she'd witnessed enough of it in the past two days. She wasn't sure where he found the patience for it right now. But he was making progress, and she looked at her watch, knowing that it was time, he was on his way to meet Liv and walk her down the aisle. That was all.

He wasn't going to be stupid enough to actually, in front of all these assembled witches, stop and talk to her like they were friends.

 _Please be smart please be smart._

He didn't look at her at all as he neared, his gaze fixed directly on the entrance to the clearing. Bonnie let out a small breath of relief.

Then when he was right beside their row, his smooth steps slowed, and he stopped and bent to the ground, as if he was retrieving something there. And he was. Bonnie saw a tiny scrap of fabric-what looked like a lady's old-fashioned handkerchief, there on the floor practically next to her sandals.

Everyone's eyes were on him, as he straightened and stared at the folded fabric, and then glanced around him curiously.

The unnerving collective stare then fell on both of them, when he turned to her, holding it out. "Dropped this."

Keeping her focus on the handkerchief-which wasn't hers at all, but didn't appear to be claimed by anyone else-she reached out for it, then felt him deftly brush a stroke across the side of her palm as he placed it in her hand. He was using his finger with the Sumerian ring, and he probably did that intentionally, knowing what it would lead to. Her magic thrummed against her bones, spilling into her blood like lava and scorching through her veins.

A curious fire traveled from the top of her head and dropped all the way to bottom of her abdomen, settling there with awful familiarity and reminding her of recent unsated appetites. It was uncomfortably, horribly delicious, while at the same time coaxing forth a violent urge to slap him upside the head, the old fashioned way with her bare hands, for pulling this stunt. The impulse gave her the nerve to glance up, and she caught a flicker of that hungry heat that was in her belly, somehow reflected in his eyes for the tiniest millisecond. Struggling to maintain a neutral polite smile, she pulled her hand back, clamping down tightly on her magic demanding furious release.

"Thanks," she whispered.

His eyes lingered over her face, before raking over her dress. "Anytime," he said, nodding easily, before continuing on his way.

What felt like the weight of the entire assembly's combined interested gaze was on her form, before someone cleared his throat at the front.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the coven chaplain is here," Luke called out. "Should just be another few minutes while my brother grabs the bride. Hopefully she didn't get lost."

Good-natured laughs and a few mocking titters followed that comment. And everyone forgot all about her, and Kai's detour.

Bonnie's eyes closed briefly.

Like right now, she much preferred to kill the guy.

Her fingers began tingling just then, and she looked down at her hands, feeling the delicate handkerchief tickling against her skin. She opened it, then found, scrawled along its corner edge, tiny embroidered words peeking out, magic embossed within their lines. She cast a sneaky glance around to ensure no one was watching, especially Caroline, then peered closer at the message.

 _B-_

 _You're really beautiful._

 _K._

* * *

One of the first things he did when he found himself back at the lodge was heal himself. For obvious reasons, he couldn't wear telltale signs of battle-weariness on his face. Oddly, though, he found he couldn't throw away the band-aids that Bonnie had so harshly tacked onto his cuts. Another novelty for him, since he had never fully understood the attachment people had to objects. Used-up strips of first aid supplies ranked pretty low as far as sentimentality went.

Yet they stayed, marring the orderliness of his nightstand.

Luke met up with him again as he made his way downstairs.

"Almost everyone's there already," his brother said.

"Liv?"

"In her room, fixing her hair and make-up," Luke said.

They shared an eyeroll.

Making their way outside of the lodge, they found Dex with a small party of coven members, walking slowly together. All of them people that Kai normally would have found tolerable being amongst. Tariq was one of them, and the old man hesitated, turning around, as if his unseeing eyes had registered his and Luke's approach.

Zamari followed suit, as did the other elder, Althea Crux, and her two daughters, Alison and Alanis, the latter someone that Kai had escorted to a recent cross-coven gala.

Her smile towards him now was polite and charming, without any of the encroaching familiarity that Fiona always managed to sneak into hers. Alanis was nice and pretty and popular among the coven for her total lack of artifice. They had gotten along well enough that night at the gala, but he could tell being around him made her uncomfortable. He could also tell that she was intrigued enough by his reputation that she had wanted to have sex with him, just to get it out of her system. And he would have obliged her, at the end of that night, but her mother Althea was one of the coven experts at hexing. Much as he liked challenges, that kind of trouble he didn't need.

On the verge of joining them, and already slipping into his other persona as coven heir, Kai abruptly stopped. Out of the corner of his eyes, a tall, thin, regal form was making her way down the path in total solitude.

"Excuse me a moment," he murmured to Luke and the others, as he broke away from them.

He had to quicken his pace to catch up to the old woman, and was it him, or did her steps suddenly seem rushed, as if she was trying to avoid him?

"Maggie," he said, when he caught up to her finally.

"Good afternoon, Malachai." She tilted her head in that queenly way of hers, without looking at him or slowing her progress.

"Oh, don't play that game with me, Mags," he said, annoyed. "Pretty sure you can guess that my day has been anything but good."

"Quite sorry to hear it, truly."

For a few seconds, they walked side by side in silence, while he gathered his thoughts and debated on the best approach.

"Something on your mind?" she asked finally.

"Not something." He glared at her. "Some _one_. When were you going to share with me that a damn Bennett was in my territory?"

She snorted elegantly. "You make it sound as if you'd like nothing more than to engage in a pissing contest. I don't believe Bonnie would appreciate such a move." She stopped, amused. "Not to mention, I honestly doubt the outcome. Perhaps you would lose."

"Maggie..." he said warningly.

"Malachai Parker, don't tell me that you have bungled this opportunity to make a new friend."

He narrowed his eyes, then reached out and guided her off the path, where they could converse a little more privately.

"I used to always hate when Grandpa played God, and I'm not fond of more of the same from you." He let out a frustrated laugh. "You're maybe the only person alive that I completely trust, Maggie. So the truth, please. What's the story on Bonnie Bennett? Because so far, she's brought me nothing but trouble."

"I can't imagine what insight I could give you."

"You know each other."

"I met her several times as a baby. She has no recollection of that obviously. Yesterday was our first conversation together where she could do more than just drool toothlessly at me."

Clearing his throat, he took on a casual demeanor. "I saw you guys talking yesterday in the lobby. Guess you can't say what about, huh?"

"Indeed, no."

"Did she ask about me?" The smile he threw was cocky. "She totally did, didn't she?"

She drew herself up with a dignified huff. "No, she did not. She was busy trying to gage whether I could be trusted. You never came up at all in that conversation. Believe it or not, you aren't the center of every young woman's universe, Malachai. Now, I believe we are almost running late to your sister's ceremony?"

"It's already late anyway," he said mildly.

"Not at all. Everything appears to be happening exactly when they should. I shall leave you now."

She made her way back towards the path.

He tried to wrack his brain for any smart-ass comment to make as she left, because he didn't want to give her the impression that any of this mattered to him. Although why he bothered, he wasn't sure-Maggie's x-ray vision trumped Superman's. "So you think Bonnie could take me, huh?" he couldn't help throwing out.

The lighthearted effort seemed to fall short of its target. Maggie's shoulders tensed, and her magic wrapped around her like a funeral shroud, as she faced him again.

"Your grandfather, if he were alive, would be so proud of the man that stands before me," she said, her smile shaky and thin. "You've become perhaps one of the strongest people I know...and yet capable of falling to pieces in the worst way."

Before she turned around again, she paused to add, "Bonnie is much the same. Both of you must take utmost care, not to break the other."

Her words left him almost speechless. Maggie and her mind games he was used to, but the fact that this involved Bonnie made him want to rage, and hurl a tree trunk at someone.

"Not a fan of vague exit lines!" he called to her retreating back, but all she did was wave her fingers behind her with infuriating calm.

Swearing, he paced by the tree for several moments, before noticing that Luke and Dex were approaching, still with the same group of people. Automatically slipping into his charmingly detached persona, he waited on them. His brothers eyed him curiously, as he greeted the others, falling into step near the women as they entered the grove.

"Oh, it's gorgeous!"

"How amazing!"

The two sisters kept up a steady flow of compliments when they moved further inside the clearing. The redwood tree circle had been an important factor that Rachel and Jo had pushed for Liv to include. Fifteen thousand years of existence meant the area was steeped in natural mystical presence, precisely what was needed for the completion spell that the coven traditionally added to every wedding, with most of the human guests none the wiser. As he took in the sight, Kai realized his sisters had outdone themselves. Even Liv would probably love this. It was rustic and not overdone, everything that a man could appreciate, but pretty enough to satisfy the women and their nose for romance. More importantly, various touches like the large, magically lit woodwork balls hanging overhead with the coven family crests, along with the subdued strands of magic pulsing here and there, gave enough of an air of grandness to appease coven tastes.

It would do.

Dex and Zamari left to perform usher duty. Kai and Luke walked the women to their seats near the front towards the left, the sisters grabbing each side of Luke's arms while Kai attended to Althea.

She was eyeing the two statues at the front of the altar, her expression entirely displeased.

"Who was responsible for that?" she demanded. "It's not on the right lines for the _ex caelo_ auspice."

Luke's brows rose, trying to keep a straight face. "Can't remember who was assigned to that, how about you, Kai?"

Kai repressed an impatient sigh, as he zeroed in on the Dioskouroi, still off kilter. He caught Sue a ways off, also eyeing the statues, and she lifted her shoulders in a 'we tried' sort of defeated way. She and Dex were useless.

With a cocked brow as he turned partially towards the pair of statues, he lassoed the massive stone twins into their rightful positions, his rope of power quick and accurate and then gone the next instant.

Althea murmured her approval. Tariq brought a cane up and pointed its end somewhere in the distance. "I take it the ward is intact?"

Kai bit down on his bottom lip, quickly weighing his options. He couldn't very well say there was nothing wrong with the ward because the man would know it for a lie. "Yeah, you know," he said, chuckling, briefly stroking his chin. "I used a different ward spell this time, just to experiment. Behaving a little erratically, but it's not a big deal. I didn't get a chance to recast so we'll make do."

"Hmmrgh," Tariq grumbled. "Don't like it."

"It will hold," Kai said, allowing his tone to slide into iciness. "Besides, let's embrace positive thinking here. We might not even need the ward."

The old man remained scowling. Kai inhaled deeply, then turned to the younger women, who were still focused on the decorations.

"Doesn't it remind you of something out of those Arthurian legends we used to read?" asked Alison of her sister. "All we need is a knight in white armor to come riding in on his horse."

"Black armor would work, too," Alanis replied, with a blushing glance at Kai.

He almost snorted. This one's smoke signals were rising higher and higher, another reason why he wasn't fond of weddings. A lot of the female witches tended to toss their common sense out the window. It was also one of the reasons Dex enjoyed them. His brother was in a far better position to entertain the heightened state of romantic and sexual arousal that women indulged in during such gatherings. Only the desperate would be expecting anything from Dex. From Kai, on the other hand, wagging tongues everywhere would be calling for a proposal.

Which was why he preferred clandestine closet visits.

Or at least, used to.

Surreptitiously, he searched the crowd, half-tuned into the conversation around him. Luke was asking the sisters to save him a dance at the reception, and then they were turning to Kai expectantly, and he was on the verge of echoing his brother's request, when he saw four familiar figures walking through the entrance of the clearing.

Bonnie, of course, brought up the rear end. She was too far away for him to make out her features, or her dress, but he couldn't help staring anyway, as she and her friends moved closer. Her face was turned up and around, and he tried to imagine her impression of the scenery. Tyler and Matt strode away from them, revealing more of Bonnie's form.

Her dress was pretty. Classy, but not overtly sexy, and what had he been expecting? That she'd bare cleavage for his benefit? He was glad she didn't do that. She could make a burlap sack look sexy, so if she wore anything like what some of the women here were passing off as dresses when they should have been classified as belts-well, Bonnie in one of those would mean him losing more brain cells. And that, he didn't need.

"Kai," Luke said, his tone insistent.

He blinked at his brother, who cut a quick glance to the rest of the group. Tariq and Althea were giving him small frowns, while the younger women seemed embarrassed.

"Oh, yeah, sure, save me each a dance," Kai said.

The sisters laughed nervously.

"No," Luke said, smiling uneasily. "Althea was asking if you had an update on Dad?"

That brought Kai back to his senses. He eased into a chuckle, as he turned to the two elders. "Haven't I told you all that my father is otherwise occupied for the rest of the day?"

"Yes, but-"

"And even if he somehow decided to pop in," Kai added, suddenly tired of playing nice. "He is the coven leader, after all. Maybe it's time you guys stopped looking to me for all the answers. Or do you just want to see us squabbling publicly again? Is that it?" His head leaned to one side. "Miss seeing me go batty on my old man?"

The elders, as expected, were anything but thrilled by his words.

"Don't be foolish, Malachai," came Tariq's half-growl.

"I think you're forgetting yourself, honey," agreed Althea. "You of all people should be the last one wishing for your father to stop by now."

He eyed her sharply, seeing if that comment held undertones of a threat but she only frowned back in concern. His attention slid briefly to Tyler and Matt, the former smiling tensely around the assembly, but otherwise looking normal and fully recovered. Kai shifted, feeling the weight of the Alchemist's stone in his jacket pocket.

"You're right," he said lightly. "My bad. Nerves."

Which was, incidentally, the truth. Dammit. He knew who to blame for his muddled thinking just now.

"Excuse me a sec." He took hold of Luke's shoulder and moved them away a little from the others, as he kept a furtive eye on Bonnie and Caroline's approach. "Where are they supposed to sit?" he asked Luke, nodding towards the two women.

"In the back."

"Move them closer." He indicated to a much nearer row. "Take care of it."

"But the ushers-"

"Luke," he said, disguising his warning with a smile.

As his brother left, Kai indulged for another couple of seconds. Now he could see more details, her lace dress that almost looked antique and seemed to complement her old soul, her face radiant as she gazed at the enormous family crests in the woodwork hanging above. He easily guessed what her thoughts were there. She was busy figuring out which symbols belonged to which families.

How wonderful she was whacked him over the head just then, everything about her so fucking breathtaking it was like a punch in the face. But then she was awful, too, so damn headstrong and prickly and self-sacrificing, like a supremely irritating saint. He was hit with a violent drive to fuck all of that out of her, suddenly. Not because he wanted to change her or anything-she was too stubborn to change now-but so she could forget herself. He had a feeling she'd never done that.

And she had no idea, that was the best and worst part about her. It made him see red, that she didn't know how rare she was, or how she affected him.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the group. Several other elders had now joined, along with Fiona and her mother, and the curiosity in all their faces had him avoid standing near them. He moved towards the sisters as they smiled at him invitingly, only half paying attention to their chit chat, as Luke walked nearer with Bonnie and Caroline in tow.

Now they were much, much closer. And the dress that had seemed harmless from a distance no longer was. Kai could see the accentuated curve of her breasts and hips through the wispy fabric, his eyes tracing over the see-through lace around her chest and shoulders. Then Bonnie turned away to glance at the opposite side of rows, and he felt his pants tightening in response. A sinfully large triangle of her bare back teased out to him, golden skin calling out for his touch.

This wasn't going well. He was barely functional.

From the corner of his eye, he watched her look his way, caught her stumbling in her steps before quickly looking away again. Okay, so it was a mutual thing, thank God. Luke's hand went up to help steady her, right on her back, and it was the first time in his life that Kai felt jealous of his brother and his proximity to another woman. What would Luke care how Bonnie's skin felt? But dammit, if that wasn't a wasted opportunity. Kai should've gone himself to seat them. She caught his eyes momentarily when she seated herself, her face puckered in a grimace that had him answering with a smirk.

Tariq's grumbling reached him just then, pulling his attention. The old man had the side of his head perked, as if straining to hear something.

"What, now?" Kai asked absently.

"Seems we have that father-son squabble you mentioned after all," Althea said, nodding somewhere in the distance. "But not involving you Parkers."

Fiona scowled, as her mother let out a small laugh. "Oh, I'm sure it's nothing. You know they've never quite seen eye to eye." But her gaze was clearly troubled, despite her words.

Kai followed her line of sight and saw Richard and Noah Vansel in a heated discussion. The father's expression clearly showed outrage in response to the younger man's air of quiet menace. Foreboding quickly settled over Kai as he watched Noah mutter something to his father, before stalking away. Noah Vansel was one of the more talented warlocks in the coven, easily the strongest in a family that already had produced pedigreed witches throughout history. And because he exuded that nice-guy-next-door charm, his magic always proved to be an unpleasant surprise to the people who crossed him.

He'd been the one to rip out the vampire's heart last night, without much effort.

"What's going on there?" a voice asked off to Kai's side.

Geoff stood beside him, with Luke not far behind.

"Where have you been?" Kai asked Geoff.

"Rounding up new magpies," he muttered.

Luke laughed a little, and Geoff glared at him.

Kai quirked his brow. "All good, then?"

"Yeah, everything's in place." Geoff was eyeing Tyler. "Groom looks like he's ready to bounce."

If only. That would resolve a lot of the problems Kai was currently juggling. He bit back a retort, leaning in towards his brothers, and speaking in low tones so the other coven members wouldn't hear. "Keep an eye on Noah for the rest of the ceremony, will you?"

Luke nodded, while surprise registered on Geoff's face, because Kai rarely assigned him any type of surveillance requests. "Okay," Geoff said, shrugging, before moving to his seat.

Despite his better judgment, Kai let his gaze wander once again to Bonnie, whose face was turned towards the altar. She was giving Tyler and Matt encouraging smiles, and then a look passed between her and the cop, ending in a wink from Matt as he seemed to give up on fixing his bow tie.

Kai inhaled deeply, jaws clenched as he rubbed at his stubble and contemplated inducing an epileptic seizure in the man. He could see Bonnie's shoulders shaking softly as she laughed at her friend, and he had a burning need to shake them just then, and make her look at him properly. It wasn't right that he couldn't tear his eyes away from her, while she apparently could barely stand to look at him.

"Time to get Liv," Luke said.

Perfect, because Kai was already taking a step down the aisle, but not because of his sister.

Murmuring his excuses once more, distantly registering Alanis's brush of her fingers against his jacket arm while she whispered something, Kai anticipation built, as he plotted.

Conjuring up a reason to make contact with Bonnie, his eyes focused on the entrance to the clearing ahead. The assembly didn't need to know where his attention was really on, which was on the ground, by her feet.

A square slip of fabric materialized there unobtrusively.

He faked surprise as he came upon it and dropped to pick it up, tendrils of magic deftly weaving into one of its corners. In his peripheral vision, he made out delicate feet wrapped in sexy sandals, and shapely legs with miles of dusky, smooth skin that disappeared under a pale green lace dress. A lighter shade of her eyes, he realized.

He let out a small whoosh of air between his lips, trying to clear his head. There was something he needed to tell her and this was the only way he could do it at that moment.

Her nervousness reached him, as he stood and pretended to figure out who the handkerchief belonged to. He was glad it was so pretty, that his magic had on the spot conjured up something quality that complemented its intended recipient.

Kai looked at Bonnie, and forgot to breathe. It wasn't even the dress, or the hair, or the makeup-all stunning, and he could appreciate every single element and wax poetic about her loveliness, and would appreciate even more the chance to strip it all off in the best, most intimate way he knew and wax even more poetic about her desirability. But what took the air from his lungs was the expression in her face just now, a sort of total abandon glinting out, wildness that she quickly subdued. A part of her that she kept hidden, now answering to him. Her magic was veiled, but he knew without any doubt that she was battling against it, fighting herself really, because of him.

He didn't remember what he said, or how she replied, all he could feel was her hand shaking a little as he stroked part of her palm under cover of giving her the handkerchief. A stray gleam of something lit up her eyes again, and his magic surged, reaching for her.

Before he lost the final threads of control and mental awareness and let the predator in him break loose and lay claim to her, Kai gave one last burning glance, then left.

He had made it several yards out of the grove before he even quite knew where he was.

"Kai!"

A woman's voice turned him around, and he could only stare stupidly at his sister making her way from the opposite side of the path, the rest of the bridal party and groomsmen moving past her to form the processional line.

"Where were you going?"

Who knew? He sure as hell didn't, although with enough effort, the fogginess from the encounter with Bonnie started slowly lifting from his eyes the longer he stood there, realizing how dumb he looked. It was sort of important that he get his shit together.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Annoyed with her nosiness, with a large part of him that was still resentful towards this whole situation, he was goaded to say, "You look like a wood fairy channeling Mick Jagger, wrapped in toothpaste."

"Shut up."

There went the dress that he and Bonnie had used as cover earlier, to hide their first snog. He forced the memory away, studying the new additions that Liv had put around the waist. They hadn't been there earlier, the slashes of color here and there, a sort of defiant showcase of his sister's inner rocker. Her eyes were made up in the same raccoon style she liked (and hated every time he called it that), but her hair was restrained in a laurel wreath. It was all kinds of contradictory, and still very much Liv. He realized, somewhere in the intervening years, that she had become as pretty as Jo, just in a different way.

He'd never brought pictures of his family into the pocket world, but his grandfather had somehow snuck them in throughout the years. Kai had slowly watched his siblings all grow older, by way of Polaroids that told him very little, except that the Parker kids all spent time being nothing but knees and elbows for most of their adolescence. And that nobody bothered to include Joshua Parker in any of the family pictures. In Liv, though, Kai noticed the same disgruntled detached stare that he himself had perfected as a teen.

In a lot of ways, she was most like him, this baby sister of his. Maybe not as unhinged, but most definitely still somewhat cracked in the head, more than the other kids.

Which was why, as they made their way back together and stopped just before the entrance to the grove, listening as music drifted through the clearing to signal the start of the procession-he was floored, when she suddenly stopped and pulled him in for an unexpected and painfully tight hug.

Probably the first one that he'd ever received from her.

"Thanks, bro," she whispered.

Which amplified his irritation, naturally. He drew away, trying to suppress it because big brothers were supposed to be supportive in moments like these. Except how was he supposed to fake that, when she was marrying the enemy?

"Okay, all right," he said grudgingly, allowing one awkward pat on her shoulder. "Hey, you know, I don't really do hugs. Not really the fuzzy-wuzzy brother. That's what Luke and Dex are for."

She nodded, her face miffed, but said stubbornly, "Just wanted you to know, I won't forget this."

And it was supposed to sound grateful, he knew, but it tickled him how even that came across as slightly sinister, in the mood he was in.

He wasn't a wedding kind of guy at all.

The procession went on for a while, and he couldn't help but be glad for the respite it gave him. As the coven chaplain entered into the Three Blessings, her voice carrying powerfully clear around the assembly, the small orchestra began playing in the background, drawing out the familiar instrumental melody that the Parkers had used for all their wedding marches in the past several generations now, according to Rachel, who had become Nazi-like when it came to adhering to protocol. Now he was glad Liv had caved in. 'Here Comes the Bride' didn't fit just now. As the achingly haunting notes floated in the air, a balm to his own restless disquiet, he remembered Alison's words about Arthurian legends. She'd been right. The atmosphere did evoke Camelot, a little.

The bridesmaid and groomsmen had taken position, followed by Jo, the matron of honor, and then his twin nephews serving as ring-bearers. Finally, Sue's little girls toddled forward, decking the path in magically enhanced petals of sweet peas and gardenias, shimmering fairy dust in the air as they landed.

Soon enough, he and Liv stood at the entrance, over a hundred faces lifted towards them in expectation. She squeezed his elbow as they walked down, and at first he schooled his face to look like his father's, proud and stern, the last time his old man had been capable of attending to his duties. But something in him rebelled against that-he wasn't fucking Joshua Parker in any capacity.

Camelot floated to mind again, and he decided he was better off playing at being Merlin. The idea made him suppress a smile. Unstable Merlin, walking Guinevere the witch down the aisle to hand her off to Arthur, the werewolf.

Kai almost laughed.

They were nearing Bonnie. He wanted to lean in and whisper the joke to her. Her gaze tracked Liv and she winked at his sister, then moved her beaming smile to rest on him. All at once, in the drama of the moment, held captive by her face and realizing this was the first time that he could remember someone having so much sway over him-it struck him that Bonnie encapsulated her own role in the legend.

If he was Merlin, here was his Nimue.

The thought wiped the smile off his face.

It confused her, maybe even hurt her, he could see, as their eyes held in passing, and then she was behind them. And Kai was fighting a wave of dread from pooling at his feet.

It stayed with him, as he delivered his sister to the altar, and shook Tyler's hands. When the chaplain began the ceremony, entering into the standard vows and intermingling a few of the coven's, the dread rose and formed into a knot that pulsed inside his abdomen. Liv and Tyler's faces, at times solemn and others giddy, weaved in and out of focus before him. Sitting in the left front pew, struggling to hold in the feeling of his body stretching out of proportion, as if impending doom had arrived and its sole purpose was to tear him apart-he managed to calm himself, slightly, by sliding his eyes towards the woman seated one row behind, across the aisle to the right.

Bonnie watched him carefully, chewing on her lip.

 _The hell's up with you?_ her eyes were clearly asking.

But all he could manage was the tiniest, almost indecipherable shake of his head, as the ceremony dragged on.

Tyler and Liv read their vows to each other, and Kai listened as the women around him, as well as a few men, started sniffling. They kept it short, which helped ease his tension, because suddenly he just wanted it all over with. As soon as the completion spell was done, he could maybe rest a little easier. Who invented the idea of marriage vows anyway? Why couldn't the exchange of rings have been enough? Man, woman, husband, wife. Finito. It was all so pointlessly extra. His magic jumped restless under his skin, and he drew in a breath, seeking patience.

Finally, the chaplain moved on to the part where she spoke to the crowd.

"If anyone has just cause why this couple cannot be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace..."

And it was quiet.

Kai let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"STOP."

The single word resonated around the clearing, a ragged, heavy sound cutting through the air like a dull blade. Everyone around him turned their heads, but he kept his facing forward, absorbing the familiar voice and thinking, _Oh, I see, my stupid gut got mixed up._

It hadn't been Bonnie setting off his alarms.

Briefly looking to the sky in consternation, feeling the crowd's shocked faces turn to him, Kai let out a small chuckle. Nearest to him, Jo, Dex, and Luke all looked over at him also, agitation clear in their faces. At the altar, Liv and Tyler stood frozen in shock. He tried to beat back the part of him that felt like they deserved this, as Kai glanced to his right again.

Bonnie was the only one who didn't appear surprised or terrified. If anything, she seemed ready for battle, but Kai gave her a warning scowl. This wasn't her fight, not yet, not ever if he could help it. He moved to check her, getting to his feet and planting himself in the aisle, effectively blocking Joshua Parker, as the man strode towards the altar.

* * *

 **A/N:** Dun-dun-duuuun.

Again, guys, MUCHAS GRACIAS for the feedback. We're getting to the meat of the story, and then finito. WHEW. I'm gonna miss writing this sucker. Sometimes I feel like changing the ending to pave the way for a sequel, then I think, 'heiffer, you ain't got no time for another 400 pages of a sequel.' Plus, sequel means I can't get to other ideas floating around for Bonkai. I don't know. I'm confused. LOL * sigh *

Racenschwarz, hally2111, nekittam, stefonniesalvatore, kaya, meghan1150, stevie'sgirl: Sorry I can't update as often, but glad y'all are enjoying the story!

jordanjanellejoy: too right about the lack of growth with Bonnie for 6 seasons now. Which is why I'm not tuning in for season 7. Although I'm super excited for Kat's project on Tammi Terrell. Huge fan of both Tammi and Kat.

melika: I'm trying not to read anything into the two actors' interactions, but they make for a cute friendship. Their chemistry...ugh. It's tragic. Makes me wanna hulk out that it wasted in canon. * GRRR ARGH *

toooldforfanfic: first, shh, nobody's ever too old for fics lol...second, hope you enjoy the more positive interactions...a few more of those to come. Stay tuned. ;)


	18. Chapter 18

_CHAPTER EIGHTEEN_

The middle-aged, gray-haired man walking down the aisle towards her friends reminded her of someone. Square-jawed and bearded, fatigue lining his face, his tall form slightly bowed, and his whole demeanor of someone overworked. Confused, the magic that coursed angrily through her veins looking for its proper target receded a bit, as she tried to place the impression.

Her father. Something about this tired-looking patriarch of the Geminis reminded her of Rudy Hopkins.

Kai was suddenly before her, eyes blazing into hers for a second, and she read clearly the message there.

 _Back off._

Behind her, she felt Caroline's tense, cold fingers grabbing her arm.

What did they think she was going to do?

With sunlight dappling through the trees, coloring everything in warm ribbons of gold, the atmosphere was a jarring contrast to the coldness exuding from Kai, as he faced his father. His charming smile was in place as his head gestured quickly around the entire assembly currently watching the scene unfold, enthralled.

"Hey, dad," he said in his deep nuanced voice, the one that she'd heard plenty of times in the last weekend, signifying he was either incredibly pleased or seriously irked. "You're a tiny bit late," he quipped, holding up his index and thumb together and squinting with one eye.

The older man stopped before his son. They were of the same height and build, but Kai seemed taller, his hands held loose around him, giving off his relaxed but ever so menacing vibe of lazy power. His father, meanwhile, with slightly stooped shoulders, sighed heavily, the magic floating out of him disjointed, rather like his powers were coming out in tired hiccups.

Bonnie took it all in, reconciling what she'd learned from Liv, Maggie, and Kai himself. This proud, brutal man that she had already hated even before setting actual sight on him was nothing more than pathetic. Clearly, Joshua Parker was broken.

Now she understood, somewhat, why Kai hadn't put him out of his misery years ago.

"Tried to get here earlier," the old man said, in a voice of deep regret. He was shaking his head in confusion. "Olivia, I'm sorry."

Something flashed across Kai's face that was gone before she could translate it properly, and then before anyone knew it, his father was suddenly leaning against the back of one of the chairs, seemingly overcome, but from what, who knew? Guilt from being a shitty, evil dad was a heavy load to carry, and if he was capable of feeling it, Bonnie wished that he'd been flattened by it years ago, to save them all the hassle of his presence now. Some of Kai's siblings moved forward then, along with others, probably elders from the coven, all offering him help.

Liv hadn't moved at all from her place by Tyler. She was wide-eyed, the epitome of deer-in-the-headlights, while Tyler had an arm protectively around her.

Joshua waved everyone away, pulling himself to stand again, as he approached Kai. He put a hand on his son's shoulder, and she saw with almost eagle-eyed focus how hard Kai was working his jaw, as he stared at that hand. Like he wanted to cover it in blistered burns, or cut it off. His magic beat tensely around his form in the space of a few seconds, and around the clearing, the high branches of the redwoods appeared to tremble as one, a sign that he was struggling to keep himself in check. Other witches turned, sensing the movements, eyeing one another with barely concealed agitation.

"Thank you, son, but I can take it from here." Joshua turned to the crowd around them. "Malachai has been a great help handling the reins these last few months, but today, I'm going to fill my role properly. If only for one last time."

The smile he gave was tremulous, full of regret and a little hope. "Let's resume, shall we?"

Then he moved past Kai and stretched out his arms to Liv, engulfing her in a hug, before leaning back and eyeing Tyler intently.

"I came here, young man, so I could properly turn the care of my daughter over to someone who deserves her." His shaky hands went out to grasp Tyler's. "You have my blessing."

Was it a farce? Everything appeared real, although there was always the chance that someone with a hidden camera was waiting on standby to come out and laugh at everyone. Nothing about Joshua Parker made any sense. She looked at Kai, and her thoughts weren't reflected on his face, but then he knew his father better. Kai was totally unreadable, as he stared at the older man, who currently was being greeted uncertainly by other folks sitting near the front.

Glancing to her friends one by one, she found no answers. They were as baffled as she.

As the disruption settled, and Joshua moved to sit, Kai gave up his place without any seeming hesitation, his expression still neutral. But some of his siblings seemed incredibly wary, looking to him for guidance as their father sat obliviously in Kai's old seat. There were no other chairs for him in their row, and none on the other side of the front, either. A general air of awkwardness ensured, where all the coven members-save Joshua-seemed to realize the most powerful man among them had been effectively displaced with nowhere to go.

Behind his row, everyone appeared to try to shift over, one seat vacant at the very end on the other side. Kai ignored them, walking to Bonnie's row, where only a handful of people had to move over to make room for him as there were a few empty spaces in the middle.

A telltale flap began in her chest when Caroline moved one space down, and then she was forced to follow suit, to let him occupy her former seat.

She was on the verge of facing front again when a deft brush of his knuckles against her back had her swallowing audibly. It wasn't a teasing touch, she knew it instinctively. She snuck a glance at his profile, by far the most serious she'd ever seen actually, his magic tightly reined in. Clearly, he was not okay, possibly close to snapping again. Maybe he only needed one more thing to push him and all hell would once again break loose.

While the chaplain resumed where she'd left off, and everyone's focus was back on the altar, Bonnie let her hand drift to rest on the side of her lap, and shifted the tiniest increment, so she could skim her fingers softly against his hand splayed around his knee, her sole aim to give him a little bit of reassurance.

His fingers twitched in response, and she saw him pursing his mouth, his entire form going completely still.

Okay, so that didn't work, and maybe she should've thought twice about assuming that like most people touch would bring him comfort. He did have that history of instability, so maybe he only viewed sex as the permissible way to get that reassurance, and all other types of closeness was barred? She wished she'd paid better attention to her college psych courses. She was pulling her hand away, fighting back disappointment, when he snatched her fingers and gripped them tightly. Not enough to cause pain, but just to let her know that he wasn't letting her have her hand back. The cool metal of his rings bit into her skin, the whisper of power trickling out from them trying to coax her own magic out, quivering from her bones. She held it at bay, keeping her eyes intently on the altar while she let him hold her hand.

Oddly enough, she had no fear just then about his siphoning.

How much longer the ceremony would last, she had no idea. Tyler and Liv no longer seemed elated as they stood before the chaplain, the way they had before Joshua showed up. Their nervousness seemed to be contagious, at least for the guests in the front, where she guessed the majority of coven seniors were seated. Before, they seemed content, the magic around the area buzzing low and easy. Now not only were faces showing different degrees of anxiousness, but once relaxed auras had grown taut, magic being held at the ready just in case.

Bonnie watched Joshua Parker, and waited for him to reveal any misstep. But he kept up the look of repentant-yet-hopeful father. Papa Parker didn't emote any kind of threatening vibes, which boded ill. He had probably brought friends. Or maybe, already had them in the crowd. She restrained herself from looking obviously around, although her focus turned briefly to the Vansels in a nearby row, the younger two appearing ill at ease compared to their parents, Fiona especially. She shifted, and Bonnie averted her gaze, as the other woman's attention went to Kai. Bonnie tried to appear oblivious, but her mind whirled with suspicion.

They unquestionably had shit for luck, she and her friends. Or anyone from Mystic Falls, really. When she got home, first thing she was going to do was track down every one of the grimoires and archaic texts to see if some kind of hex had been placed on the town.

What had started out as a promising ceremony was now pretty much...not. Liv when she turned up had been so beautiful, glowing even, her magical essence bright around her form, making her look like a woodland princess. And the picture she presented had been so perfect and wonderful, with Tyler looking every bit her prince charming, that every sensible bone in Bonnie had rebelled for a hot second, and bought into the happily-ever-after they presented, bad guys be damned. So what if there was someone plotting against them? They had made it down the damn aisle. For a few minutes there, her friends had looked like a normal bride and groom as they shared their vows. It had all, for a short time, been so amazing.

With Kai the only thing marring it, as tension had rolled off him in waves for the entire duration. The scrooge.

Maybe he'd sensed his father coming, but then how to explain the way that his face had shut down when he'd escorted Liv? He'd been smiling at first when they spotted each other, and while she knew it was soft and weak and dumb, she'd had his handkerchief in her other hand, thinking sweetly on it, and wanting him to know that it was one of the nicest things she'd ever received from anyone. But his face, abruptly, had taken on a picture of misery, soon after they locked eyes.

And now their hands were fused like their lives depended on it.

The spirits were having a good laugh, was her stray thought. She'd suspected it for years now, ever since she'd burned her bridges with the ancients after abusing their gift to her.

Let's drive Bonnie Bennett, royal screw up, really crazy-was probably someone's idea, somewhere. And though it had been years, and life as witch had eased up from being an endless series of tragicomic fumbles for her, the cloud of past experience always loomed close, a constant reminder that it easily could all go back to how it used to be.

If she let it.

Tendrils of sun continued to weave through the scenery, offering a contrast to her thoughts. This was probably the most picturesque wedding ceremony she'd ever witnessed, and here most of them were, unable to fully enjoy. She felt a pang of sympathy for Liv because she didn't know any other bride who'd been put through the wringer like this, from the engagement all the way to the exchange of vows. Hopefully they had a lazy honeymoon planned. Hopefully they made it to the honeymoon, her gloomy thoughts added.

At the altar, the chaplain picked up a large goblet, and the air seemed to throb with power, the rattan balls above flickering brightly as the magical strands trailing around the trunks of the redwoods swayed noticeably. Bonnie kept a close eye when the chaplain presented the goblet to Liv and Tyler to hold together. A long beaded chain emerged from the folds of her robe, glittering with magic as she wound the chain around the couple's hands in loose circles.

"Accept this nectar, and be joined for eternity before the eyes of the gods, old and new," recited the chaplain.

"I accept," Liv and Tyler intoned together, then raised the goblet in tandem, Tyler offering Liv the first sip, before he followed suit.

Bonnie watched with a muted gasp as a horrible suspicion took hold. Whoever had gotten to Tyler last night could obviously see that he was picture perfect now. What if they didn't accept that there was nothing out of the ordinary with Tyler, and tried to slip the potion in again? Maybe the goblet was spiked?

Involuntarily, her fingers spasmed, squeezing Kai's. Their joined hands were out of sight. Nobody watching them would possibly suspect the contact between them, but fine hairs suddenly prickled up on the back of her neck, and Bonnie surreptitiously scanned her eyes around.

Kai's head tilted, his glance from the corner of his eyes a subtle reaction to her own questing look around the assembly.

She was tempted to freeze time again, so she could let him know about both potential problems. Or if she had his phone number, she could've just texted him a warning. Her shoulders slumped in a quiet sigh, realizing that her game was floundering. She should've thought of this.

He squeezed her fingers back, and then his eyes closed, a look of concentration on his face. Soon, very fine beads of perspiration formed on his brow and nose. She tried not to stare in alarm. His magic hadn't erupted with any kind of warning, had barely spiked at all to show that it was in active use, but he was clearly mid-spell, one that seemed difficult.

When his eyes finally opened, he turned to her, his pupils gleaming with swirls of color.

 _*Let me in, Bonnie.*_

His voice sounded slightly drugged and like it came from far away.

 _*Please...*_

Not his voice, his mouth wasn't moving. And it wasn't her ears he spoke into but her head. What the hell?

Staring into his pupils, she lost herself in stages, reminding her of that time in junior high when her appendix burst and she had to be rushed to the hospital. They'd put her under, and she had faded out from the anesthesia, counting back from ten and only making it to nine.

The world dropped away.

* * *

After graduating college, she'd sold their family home, fueled partly by financial sense and also because she saw no point, keeping the house that was too large for her, and held so few memories, either good or bad, outside of endless solitude. She'd loved her dad, and it had stung, parting with the house, but she needed to cut strings, and if he were alive, he would have supported her choice. The craftsman-style bungalow was well kept thanks to her father's regularly-scheduled maintenance, as well as fully paid off, again thanks to her father and his workaholic ways. It had sold for a pretty penny, and under Stefan's wise counsel, a lot of the profit had gone into modest investments that helped her live comfortably, while she tried to find herself.

She missed the house occasionally, but hadn't thought of it much in the years after disposing of it. Her grandmother's cottage was enough for her, and after a few years living there, she could truthfully call it the best home she'd ever had, its modest size suiting her far better, and remnants of her Grams' magic within its walls still supplying her with emotional ties to the person she had loved most in the world. In her grandmother's house, she'd spent happier times and would continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

So Bonnie had difficulty grasping why she sat now, in the middle of her childhood bedroom in her father's house. It had been redecorated years before she'd even sold the home, with grown up neutral colors and subtle nature prints and tasteful decorations. Which made it more disturbing that she wasn't looking at that most recent incarnation of her room, but instead the one with the purple bed sheets sprinkled with black and white hearts, with her old fluffy unicorn Heathcliff mocking her from the middle of the bed. As if saying, 'yep, this greatness brought to you by Bonnie B' as his large, rainbow covered horn pointed directly at lavender walls covered by photos of her and her friends at various stages of puberty in mature poses like pretending to pick each other's noses, and posters of Lil' Bow Wow and Orlando Bloom smoldering out at her in a multitude of poses.

Oh, and to make it all even better, Kai stood in her doorway, leaning against the frame, his legs crossed at the ankles as he took in her awesome teenage style.

"Gotta admit, this is unexpected," he said, his eyes squinting up at the two celebrities on the walls.

"What the hell, Kai?" she hissed, jumping from the bed, tossing Heathcliff hard at his face, which of course he caught. She resorted to pushing him out the door.

He put his hands up, stumbling back under her assault. "Sorry, sorry!" but laughing as he did so, making her push extra.

She bullied him all way down the stairs, and into her living room. He plopped onto the sofa, out of breath from laughing.

"Bonnie," he said, struggling to bite down on his amusement. "Can I just say, thanks. _Sooo_ much. I really needed that laugh." Then his hand that was carrying the stuffed unicorn came up, as he eyed it doubtfully.

"Did _not_ peg you as a rainbows and unicorns type of girl." He dangled the unicorn playfully. "Yet here you got both wrapped up in this poor worn out thing."

"Not a thing," she said, snatching her childhood toy away. "His name is Heathcliff." And oh, God, why had that even come out? Wasn't it mortifying enough that he'd gotten a look at her bedroom?

"Really?" he said, a devilish glint in his eyes. "Dig the dark, tortured heroes, do ya?"

She scrunched up a part of her face, confused. "What?" Then her brow cleared, remembering the college literature professor who had shoved the Bronte sisters' works down everyone's throats. _Wuthering Heights_ had definitely not been a favorite of hers. So much unnecessary angst. She almost snorted, recalling how much Elena had enjoyed the story-shocker, that.

"No," she said to him, sugar dripping from her voice. "I dig fat, orange felines."

She hugged Heathcliff to her, signaling bloody murder to the man standing in front of her, looking mystified.

"You named your unicorn after a comic strip cat?"

"I wanted a kitten, my Dad bought me this instead. I was going for smart-ass when I named him."

He smiled suddenly, but she was pissed still and he had no right looking so familiar and fond just then, like they were sharing an afternoon coze over biscuits and lemonade.

"What is this?" she demanded. "Why are we here? Did you teleport us again?

But she knew that was wrong; whatever he'd done had to be covert, they had all those witnesses. Not to mention, there was no sign of the real homeowners' personal touches in the house. But he was in his tux, and she in her dress. He'd definitely moved them somewhere-

And then it dawned on her, and she let her eyes shrink into angry, accusing slits.

"Unbelievable!" she said. "You jumped us into my head!"

His face quickly sobered. "Okay, hold on, hear me out first, before you go apeshit."

" _Go_ apeshit? Oh, I'm already there." She stalked up to stand in front of his seated form, and poked him hard in the chest. "You have no right!"

"Bon-"

"I never gave you permission!" her finger dug into his shirt, ready to up her tirade, but something nagged at her. How the hell had he known that seconds before he'd done the spell, she'd been wishing for a way to communicate with him? Sometimes it scared her, how she broadcasted so clearly to him and that he seemed to pick up on it so well, with or without realizing it.

Turning her back on him, she took in the rest of the room, and picked up on what was off with the house. All the windows were blank. There was no view to the outside world. "Why don't we see anything outside?"

"That's all you. Whatever's outside this house is up to you."

Terrific. Now she had to keep her mind blank. But then, she had a lot of urgent matters weighing her mind that had nothing to do with her and Kai. She snagged on those to occupy her thoughts.

"Listen, Kai, someone is watching us."

"No kidding. We knew that this morning."

"Well, they're back. And why didn't anyone tell me that the chaplain makes the bride and groom drink from that goblet? It could be spiked with the potion for all we know."

"Way ahead of you, Bon. That goblet's been foolproofed for ages now. The contents can't ever be tampered with." His tone turned mocking. "You'd be surprised how often people try to poison the bride or the groom. Sometimes even both."

"With your coven, I'm not surprised one bit."

She rounded back to Kai, whose eyes had glazed over slightly for some reason.

She snapped her fingers in front of his nose. "Pay attention, _Malachai._ "

"Okay," he murmured, then reached out and grabbed her, landing her on his lap facing away from him. He tilted her face towards him, his own head angled, seeking her mouth. Returning his kiss, she dropped Heathcliff as blood and magic rushed to her head, her hand finding his jaw and stroking the prickly skin there.

This time they moved slower, tongues stroking intimately. She arched into his touch, one of his hands caressing her bare back that peeked out from her dress. When her hips began grinding into his, his face moved against her neck, muffling the low groan that poured of his mouth.

She fought a shiver.

"Believe it or not," he whispered against her jaw, kissing lightly. "I didn't bring us here for this." Then he nibbled her earlobe. "But you angry kinda turns me on. And this dress-oh, this damn fucking dress..." he trailed off, his hands tracing circles into her back, as he pushed her forward a little and ran kisses on her spine just under where the triangle of lace framed her skin. "And then you say my name like _that_ -"

His hardness pressed urgently between her thighs, and she repressed a moan, trying not to squirm too deeply into it.

"How do you do it, Bonnie?" he whispered against her hair. "I always hated it, but coming from you it sounds hot."

He pressed more kisses on her back, fingering the edges of lace.

"What are our real bodies doing right now?" she asked, curiosity cutting through the haze in her brain. She needed to talk or else she was going to lose her mind.

"Just staying neutral and alert." His hands came around, palming her breasts through the fabric, his fingers large and warm and possessive. She clamped down on another moan. 'It's not like _Inception_ , whatever we do in your head won't affect your body."

"But what happens-" her breath hitched he slid the hem of her skirt up ever so slowly, shifting them both and causing her to bump hard into his erection. "What happens if we need to stand at any point during the ceremony? Pretty obvious if we just stay dopey in our seats."

To her immense surprise, and no small amount of dismay, he suddenly paused, resting his cheek on her back, his own breathing sounding uneven now. "I linked us," he said, his voice like gravel. "to mimic the general assembly's obvious movements. They blink, we blink, they stand, we stand, they laugh, we laugh."

She moved to sit sideways on his lap, to get a better look at his face because what he'd done was actually kind of impressive and she was intrigued and wanted details of this spell. "We're puppets," she said in wonder.

His low rumble of laughter vibrated to all the right places, parts of her growing more hot and bothered by the second, but still she had the presence of mind to be glad that he was capable of being amused. A few minutes ago, facing down his father, she'd thought he was on the verge of bringing the entire forest down. "Just call me Pinocchio," he agreed, in between sucking gently on the skin just behind her ear. "Cuz I'm made of wood. Get it?" and he emphasized his quip by holding tightly to her hips and rubbing her against him.

"Terrible," she said, letting him guide her body, as she rolled her eyes and bit back a smile. His finger reached out, tracing her lower lip, tapping gently against the teeth cutting into its fullness. In surprise her mouth opened, and he slipped his finger in, his glance at her playful and daring. To throw him off she bit the tip of it hard, relishing his slight gasp of pain, before she lolled her tongue around it soothingly.

His eyes grew black then, but instead of lunging at her, like she half-expected, he inhaled raggedly, pulling his finger out, tracing her lips again while his gaze scorched her.

They could have sex here. Without any interruptions. Which gripped her with a complete lack of hesitation and even less guilt.

They were facing somewhat of a crisis out there, after all, but here she was, seized by an urge to answer a mental booty call. For sure, a _huge_ fall from grace for Bonnie Bennett, vaunted little goody-two-shoes.

But she'd been an adult for the better of a decade, dammit, and more importantly, sex was primarily a strategic move. They were in her head. It was up to her, Kai had said, whatever showed up outside the windows. There was a very real, very scary possibility that at any moment her brain would dredge up memories of the alternate universes and play it all back in high def, for the last man in the world who needed to know how incredibly fucked up his life might have been.

 _Or incredibly good_ , her brain whispered treacherously, sending stray images of a Bonnie and Kai pillow fighting in a cozy apartment, or another pair kissing mid-spell in a cave.

Outside the window, light formed, and she glanced towards it because it looked suspiciously like the beam that she'd seen in that cave. Their standing forms began materializing, and she panicked.

Shit.

She turned her head back, ready to pounce. One because he needed to be distracted again; he really, really didn't need to see those other versions-they were not those other people. And two because, no telling how it would end between them in this world- it would definitely end, though, she was walking away-but she needed to be honest with herself that before it ended, she could do with a proper good and long taste of this man who was wrong for her in so many ways despite how perfect it sometimes felt.

"Pretty sure I'd rather stab myself than say it, Bonnie," he said, reading her obvious intentions, his eyes actually smoldering. Again, another thing she hadn't ever seen from anyone before, at least not outside of a nightclub, but the term fit Kai exactly, while he was staring fixedly at her face. In other words, too busy to notice what was outside the windows.

"Say what?" she asked, her eyes on his lips, concentrating on the man before her as a method of clearing her mind from the other images.

"Don't," he cut himself off, letting out another huff of breath that sounded like a pained laugh. "Don't look at me like that. I can't keep the spell up long enough for what you're thinking."

"Oh. Sorry." She let out a slow breath, furtively checking the once-again blank windows. Better she gave him the impression that she'd gotten her wires crossed. Partially, it was true anyway, and Kai of all people was uncrossing them. How embarrassing, except she hadn't instigated this, so it wasn't her fault. "You started it."

His laugh turned ironic, as he squeezed her waist. "I feel like we've jumped into Bizarro World, where I'm the one warning you not to jump my bones."

"Considering we're in my head, I'd say Bizarro World is apt," she mumbled, a little floored that he'd actually been the one to douse the fire just now. Then again, Kai had a lot of options waiting for him in the real world. If he couldn't get sex now from her, there was always another willing female ready to engage him in an empty room somewhere. She kept that thought close, hoping she could use it in an argument with herself to avoid jumping into something that was all kinds of a bad idea for her. Since, so far, her inner voice was conspicuously quiet.

She nodded as much to herself as to him, then moved to stand but found his grip kept her in place.

"Now, now," he said, kissing the back of her neck, feeling his smile form there. "Doesn't mean we can't enjoy the conversation we need to have."

But how the hell did he expect her to concentrate? "Kai, let me go."

"We need to strategize."

"Not like this."

"Why?"

She tilted her head, facing him with a glare as she waved an aggravated hand at his lap and then his face, and then herself. "Maybe you're an expert keeping up a rational conversation during foreplay with all the practice you get, but I can't think straight like this."

His eyes darkened dangerously, but he nodded, and opened his arms. Then he bit his lip, sending one of his playful looks up at her. "I knew that. Just wanted to hear you say it."

She rolled her eyes and picked up Heathcliff from where he'd lain forgotten on the carpet. Sensing his gaze tracking her the entire time, she moved to the dining table to sit there, but with a warning glance to him to stay where he was. "Ditto, by the way," he said casually.

Her brows rose in question.

He waved his own hand in her direction. "Kinda haven't been thinking straight for-oh, at least thirty minutes now," he explained. "No, I'm lying. More like, the last day and a half."

The beat of quiet that ensued was filled with such thick meaning she thought she might be able to poke her finger at it and see the air ripple between them. Contradictory sensations hit her then, dizzy light-headedness contrasting with a tightness in her sternum, as they stared at each other.

She chose to deflect, putting a frown on her face. "Well, since your father showed up, I doubt anyone's thinking clearly right now." She cleared her throat. "So, is he for real?"

The change in him was immediate, his jaw tensing. "Who knows? Probably not."

"Any idea what he might be planning?"

"Probably something bad."

"We need to get back _right now_ ," she urged.

"Oh, he's not gonna do anything now." And he said that with such certainty, it almost seemed like he was in on whatever plan his father had. He must've read the suspicion on her face, because he smiled tightly. "No, Bonnie, I don't know what he's going to do. But it's clear he wants to see it played out past the ceremony. Crafty bastard."

"Why-" she pursed her mouth, wondering if she needed to self-filter this question. Nah. "Why didn't you kill him years ago?" and she wondered why she couldn't make herself sound less peeved.

His brows rose, and he laughed with genuine amusement. "Wow. Nice."

"That's what you Geminis do to your leaders when they've outgrown their use, right? At least, that's what Liv said."

"Not always. There's my grandfather."

"He and your father were completely different people. Your grandfather was wise enough to step down. And he deserved to live."

His face hardened. "I don't play God that way, Bonnie."

"No? Does that tolerance only apply to witches then? I mean, what do you call your coven's approach to vampires and werewolves?"

"Common sense," he said, chuckling and looking at her like that was obvious. "Vampires kill people for fun and food. People like me and you and Matt. And werewolves-ya know, you got me. I _might_ be persuaded there. Being a werewolf sucks. The only great thing about being one is that you get to permanently end vampires with your bite." His face took on a look of pure loathing. "Do you know how many covens have been wiped out because of vampires? When one of them says they're gonna be your friend, what they actually mean is they want to exploit your powers. They want _minions_. And good luck to the poor sucker that tries to get out from under their thumb."

That sounded far too much like personal experience talking. And also, far too much like her own experience with some of them. Damon, Klaus, Katherine, all of them had been experts in manipulating a witch to do their bidding. Had done it to Bonnie. Except Bonnie knew how to push back and had the means to do so.

Not all witches could, and why did that make her feel ashamed? There were reasons to everything, after all. She wasn't a friend to all vampires, and not every witch was good. Kai was manipulating her in his own way, now.

"Luke calls them Renfields," he said mockingly. "The witches who help them."

She squinted her eyes in disgust. "Go ahead, try calling me that."

"Uh-oh, she's being brave," he taunted. "What're you gonna do, huh, Bon?"

"I'll _melt_ your _face_ off. And motus it up your _ass_."

He stared in equal parts shock and mirth. What the hell, he really _was_ disturbed. That should've made him all parts angry.

"C'mon, Bonnie," he finally said. "How is it that we can squeeze in an argument on our ideological differences and not have time for, for-"

She crossed her arms, one brow lifted, daring him to finish his sentence.

Yes, she wanted to argue. Maybe since their tension had yet to be relieved in the way they both clearly wanted, fighting was their only recourse right now. But it was exhausting, and he was right yet again-this wasn't the time or place.

"Just drop it, okay?" he pleaded.

"Fine. Back to the plan. Should everyone just leave?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

His gaze was hard on hers, as he considered her question. They had to think logically here, so she put her best foot forward, saying, "Right now, they're finishing up the vows. Tyler and Liv could make their escape pretty quickly from here."

She dropped her eyes to her hands.

"Caroline's got a getaway car parked just outside the ward. She and Matt could slip out unnoticed. I could join them later, after everything's squared and we know nobody will come after us."

A fool part of her almost slipped out an invitation for him to join them. But what would that serve? He was practically like the crown prince of Geminis, what the hell would he be doing with the ragtag crew of Mystic Falls townies? Not to mention, history from the other worlds showed that her hometown never led to any sort of happy ending for this man. No, he needed to stay far away from the place.

He didn't answer.

"It's the safest plan," she tried again.

"Probably," he finally said, his voice lacking any of its usual cadence.

"Stop saying 'probably' to everything," she replied testily.

He stood then, and walked slowly forward, and now he was the one standing in front of her. "What do you want me to say, then, Bonnie?"

She kept her gaze averted. No way was she replying to that loaded question. And what did it matter in the end, anyway? This had always been the plan with Liv. When the going got rough, get gone. She didn't need to run it by him. And if anything, he should be pleased. They would be out of his hair.

But they would be leaving him to deal with his father, on his own. That definitely didn't sit well with her.

"If your father finds out you helped us, what can he do to you?" she asked.

He moved away, ignoring her as he roamed the first floor. He was swift to take it all in, dwelling only briefly on some pictures. "Who lives here with you, anyway?" his voice coming from the hallway, probably where he was studying the few family pictures that were hung up there. "Is it just you and your dad? Where's your mom?"

"My mom left, my dad died. None of us live in this house anymore." My mom's a vampire, she almost wanted to add spitefully, just to put that twitchiness on his face anytime she revealed yet another connection to the black hats of the mystical world. So far, she could honestly say she would probably be more comfortable putting her damn feet up at the Mikaelson's lair in New Orleans, than she would in, say, the Gemini compound that she'd once heard Liv speak about.

His footsteps meandered back from the hall, and when he reappeared, he walked directly back to her.

"You told me you lost too many people to supernaturals," he said. "Your dad one of them?"

She glared at him. "We're not doing this right now, Kai."

"Touchy. I guess that's a yes." Then he grimaced. "Sorry." He tilted her chin up. "I'm a jackass, feel free to slap me."

She swiped his hand away. "Why are we here, anyway? In this house?"

"I don't do this spell much, actually it's only my second time. But the gist is, whichever mind you visit, you try to put them at ease by focusing on somewhere safe and familiar, or the last time they felt that way." Here he paused, something hitting him, as he scowled upstairs. "Bonnie, how long has it been since your room looked like a Tiger Beat issue?"

She eyed him carefully. "A while."

His eyes slid back to her, appraising. "The pictures you have on your walls. You look like you just started high school."

She didn't say anything, but in response to his words, the windows again flickered, images forming. Kai drifted to the window, spearing her with a sharp, curious glance. She also neared, as a sunny day suddenly greeted them outside. The street before them suddenly morphed into the back lawn of her high school. Groups of girls in cheerleading uniforms gathered on one side, while the football team practiced formation on the other. A Camaro drove up the parking lot, and she saw Elena, her hair long and pony-tailed, face fresh and exuberant with youth, happy and innocent, before her expression changed, as Caroline in her uniform, stepped out smugly from the car. Damon was behind the wheel, wiggling his fingers obnoxiously to them. As her two friends started arguing, through the younger Bonnie's perspective, she joined the other cheerleaders, practicing the routine but distracted, her gaze moving to her two friends regularly.

Kai's smile was wicked. "Never mentioned you were a cheerleader."

Before he could make the suggestive comment that was obviously on the tip of his tongue, the scene changed again.

The school hall was empty, but for red and white balloons. Her younger self had her eyes on her phone, and abruptly, a tall figure blurred up before her, slamming her against the lockers. Kol Mikaelson, fangs out and at the ready-

"Who the hell is that?" Kai asked, his voice deadly.

Before Kol could do anything more, the original buckled to the floor, his face pained as his arms and legs bent at unnatural angles. She ran away, leaving him on his knees.

Bonnie shut her eyes, willing her mind to go blank but it did her no favors. Night fell over the town, and they were looking at an assembly, and she was standing in the crowd, watching as her father spoke to everyone, his eyes on her as he smiled. Then Silas strolled up on the stage and before her eyes, opened her father's throat with careless fingers, daring her to retaliate. And there she stood, helpless to do anything but run to the stage, and hold her dead father in her arms. Crimson coated her clothes, her hands, pooled beneath her knees on the wooden platform.

She tried to close the view to the window, but before her hands could pull the curtains the scene changed again, still presenting a night sky, this time overlooking the old god-forsaken tomb, and she stood amidst a circle of stones, chanting with her Grams, the older woman strong and capable and nodding to her encouragingly, as wind whipped around them.

"Stop," she said, her voice choked as the tugged on the fabric, but the curtain wouldn't budge.

And now the street looked into her Grams' cottage, and she was looking down at her grandmother, clutching her hand tightly, as she lay pale and unresponsive on her bed. Rigor mortis had set in on Sheila Bennett by then, because Bonnie had stayed beside her grandmother for hours, thinking that she was going to find a way to return to her body, that the spirits would bring her back somehow, and they would have tea and laugh it off.

It was one of her most painful memories, because her grief had been wrapped in layers of guilt that remained unebbed to this day.

She'd led her grandmother to that, because of her friends. Maggie's words jumped at her again.

 _"How much worse would you value the lives of other witches, for the sake of your friends?"_

But because they were in her mind, the words reverberated around the walls of the house, settling ponderously inside the room, laying between her and Kai like black tar. No matter what she said after that, there was no way not to get stuck on how unpromising it came across. The vista on the street became a void, then, dismal and sharing nothing.

"Enough," she said coldly.

She felt him approach and wasn't sure if she wanted him to maybe try to touch her just then, maybe put his hand on her shoulder in comfort. Or maybe he was judging that last part, figuring out all over again if she wasn't still the enemy. But instead he just stayed a little behind her, and she let his quiet appraisal sink in, deciding that she liked it better this way. It wasn't often that people knew how to keep their distance in moments like these. Surprising that he did, considering how often he used crossing into personal space as an intimidation tactic.

"That was Maggie's voice," he said, his tone dead even, giving nothing away.

Steadying herself, she drew a breath and turned. "I don't regularly throw witches into harm's way for my friends, if that's what you're asking." Then she shook her head. "Kai, we can't get into this now."

He stepped closer, his face suddenly shifting, looking far too remorseful now. Like he'd done something wrong. She didn't want his guilt. It was misplaced.

"That was a witch, by the way," she told him. "Who killed my father." She let her face drop into a frozen mask, as she added, "I got him back."

His jaw tightened, but whether it was from disapproval or something else, she couldn't tell.

"Does that go against your coven rules, Kai? Thou shalt not harm another witch, even if they're evil?""

He stalked forward and grabbed her hands, lifting them against his chest, rubbing them as if trying to warm her.

"Some life you've led," he observed softly. "No wonder you haven't felt safe for at least ten years."

"And you're one to talk?" she replied, willing calm into her voice, as she pulled her hands away. "Let's not get into comparisons here, coven heir. Oh, and _reformed sociopath_."

A brow lifted, and his tongue shifted to the side of one cheek, as he chuckled. "Wondered when that would come up."

She shrugged. When he realized she wasn't going to pursue it, his relief was tangible.

Liv's throwaway line earlier hadn't come as much of a surprise, not with what she'd gleaned from the conversation with Maggie. But she was dying to know how he'd managed to reform, within such a short period, too. Twenty years didn't seem like enough time, but maybe her perspective was colored by rose-colored vampire glasses. Stefan had once told her it took him three decades just to get his bloodlust under control. And Damon, after a century and a half, continued to be a work in progress.

But then, Kai seemed to be smarter than Damon.

"So you know, we're in your head but obviously I still can't read your thoughts."

 _Thank God._

"I didn't invade your consciousness totally. To do that, is a little outside of my scope."

"Is that what you wanted to do before at your house? When you asked me to help?

He lifted his palms in a semi-shrug. "Fully exploring your consciousness is the best way to get a looksie in someone's cabeza." He nodded to the windows. "What I'm doing now, you're still in control of any other memories you want to share."

"I'm done sharing," she said, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

He blinked thoughtfully, mouth pursed, as if he was contemplating his next choice of words.

"Spit it out, Kai."

"This spell, it's not the easiest thing, Bonnie. Not every witch can cast it, but more importantly," he bit down on his mouth, shaking his head a little, "hard to find anyone who'll let you in. Especially other witches. We're notoriously shield-y." His gaze turned speculative, as he eyed her. "It was a gamble, getting in here, kinda shocked I made it. The only other person I was able to do this with was my grandfather."

Bonnie clenched up, uncertain of how to sift through the meaning there.

His smile was self-deprecating. "I was just," he stopped, swallowing. Then his shoulder lifted dismissively. "Just had an idea-you know, since you're all about fair play," and his brow went up pointedly, "maybe next time I can show you around my head."

She went slack-jawed.

"Another place no other girl's been," he said lightly. "So I can't promise you'll like much in there. But tit for tat, right?"

Suddenly breathless, she couldn't tell for sure if she wanted to hug him or hit him just then. And what kind of fucked up relationship did they have two days into meeting that offering to share agonizing memories fell into the category of sweet?

"Kai-"

"No pressure," he cut in, but she didn't miss the guardedness that crept into his voice. "We can always go the traditional route. You let me take you out to dinner-or bowling?" He eyed her critically. "You seem like the type who knows how to knock down all the pins. And then later in bed we show each other our battle scars." He waggled his eyebrows. "I promise to let you touch mine."

Oh, God. This stupid boy was going to unravel her.

Her eyes closed in frustration. "Kai, please." Then she squared her shoulders resolutely. "Take us back."

"What?"

"We've been gone long enough. Now we sort of have a game plan. My friends can go right after the ceremony's done. Less chance for Joshua to do any damage if they're not around to motivate him."

He didn't have a ready answer for her, as his jaw worked, and his eyes did that thing where he seemed to shut down. There. She'd hurt him again. Yeah, this was definitely not going to work out.

"Liv and Tyler will have a hard time getting out of that reception. They'll probably have to stick around." His Adam's apple bobbed several time, before he briskly added, "But you and your friends can go. I won't compromise the plan, and I have more than enough firepower to help those crazy newlyweds."

"No, I'm not leaving you guys alone."

"You were fine leaving me alone as long as my sister and Tyler weren't stuck here, too," he said, his tone colored now with a hint of bitterness.

"Are you deaf? I said, _my friends_ can leave right after the ceremony. Never said that I was going with them." She looked at him askance. "Even if Tyler and Liv managed to skip the reception, what makes you think I'd leave you to deal with your father by yourself?"

He stared at her, his expression back to shuttered for a moment, like it upset him, her words. Then he lunged forward, closing every last inch of space that separated them as he kissed her, deep and brutal and unforgiving, his lips hungry on hers, robbing her of breath by the time he pulled away. Her hands reached up automatically, seeking to wrap around his neck and tug him closer, but on impulse she clenched her fists and kept them stubbornly by her side.

With a last harsh drag of his mouth on hers, he pulled away.

"Appreciate the thought, Bon," he said, his voice frayed, as his fingers played with her hair. "But you're going with your friends. Anyway, you're forgetting I have Luke."

She stared in indignation. "I didn't forget about your brother, but ten seconds ago, you were complaining about getting left behind! And what about me helping you with the spell for Tyler?"

He shrugged. "Wasn't complaining, just making commentary." He smiled then. "And of course, our deal still stands. No backsies, Bon. But you don't have to be in Oregon to help, I can just as easily make my way to Mystic Falls. I've always wanted to explore Southern hospitality."

He bit his lip as he said that, offering her a wicked smile. Again her fingers itched to slap it off his face.

"I'm sorry, when did we revert to the middle ages?" She narrowed her eyes in distrust. "Are you a chauvinist? Think I can't handle myself if I stuck around?"

He laughed. "I got a taste first hand of just how well you can handle yourself, Bonnie. But think for a sec. There's not much my old man could do since A, I outpower him, and B, killing me would kill him, too. Oh, and C, why are you so sure he'll find out at all?" His fingers reached out, tracing her cheeks. "Ever try looking at a glass half full?"

He didn't know how she worked. "My Grams," she said, giving him a warning glance to forestall the start of his disgruntled snort. "She always told me she looked out for her own." She moved away, fidgeting. "That's me, too."

"Oh, really?" he matched her step for step, trying to close the distance she was forcing between them. "Didn't know I belonged to you."

"That's not what I'm saying. But I think we've sort of moved past being enemies at this point. And I think you'll need help and-well, I'm already here. You did us a solid, you get one back." Then she stopped, tasting in her mind first the word she wanted to throw out to him, knowing it didn't fit, but why not try her hand at bluffing? Hoping he bought it, she threw him a hopeful half-smile, ducking her head hesitantly as she raised Heathcliff between them, pretending to speak through him. "So, whaddaya say?" she asked lightly. "Friends?"

He scoffed, invading her space once more and crushing the unicorn between their chests. "Who're you kidding?"

Ugh, fine. "Allies, then."

"Whatever gets you through the day, beautiful," he whispered, drawing his head down to hers.

What would it take to get him to back down, while also accepting her aid? They had established there would be no sex here, and now she wanted to stick to it, whether in her head or outside. Whatever momentary lapse she'd had a few minutes ago, she wasn't letting it happen again. But how to convince him that whatever big fish was out there that they needed to fry, they could do so together? And she would leave directly after that.

His mouth was near to closing in on hers again, when she brought a hand up, her fingers bumping gently against his nose. "Kai, we need to get back," she said, all serious now. "Someone's watching us out there."

He stilled, sighing as he gazed down at her, his breath tickling her palm. He kissed her fingers, then drew away. "Who isn't watching us?" he grumbled.

"You know what I mean. I guess you're used to everything you do being fascinating to an entire group of people...but in this case-"

"Bad witchy woo intuition." He nodded, the tic reappeared on his jaw that made her want to reach out and trace its rhythm just then. "Yeah, I know all about that."

She smiled tensely. "Least we can't say this wedding's been boring."

"You and your gang made sure that was never gonna happen," he muttered, and much to her surprise, those words coming from his mouth carried only a little bit of hostility; far more frustration laced his tone. "This conversation isn't over," he added, so damn persistent she had to grind her teeth together to hold in an angry reply.

"Time to go back, Kai."

"To be continued, Bon," he retorted, his eyes swirling with color again, as he grabbed her hand and whisked them back.

There was no jarring disorientation or slow progression of returning to her body. Instead, she blinked and there they were, back in their seats. They made it in the nick of time.

Liv and Tyler, wearing matching smiles and wedding rings, were just in the middle of sharing their first kiss as husband and wife. Next to Tyler, Matt's eyes were furtively scanning around the room, probably, like Bonnie had earlier, scoping out best exits. Beside her, Caroline let out a relieved sigh, smiling widely.

Bonnie turned to her other side, to find Kai staring down at their still-joined hands. She quickly unclasped hers, and joined the rest of the crowd in applause as the couple turned to everyone.

"Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Lockwood!" cried the chaplain.

Her friends had actually done it. Bonnie let out a pleased laugh, ignoring Joshua Parker across the aisle and the rest of the coven. She met Liv and Tyler's wide-eyed, happy faces and let her laughter build.

When she looked at Kai, she found him eyeing her back, the tip of his mouth lifted wryly.

"Kudos," he said, his voice low and filled with begrudging admiration.

* * *

 **A/N:** You guys are the best. Your feedback is amazing, you are amazing. I LOVE YOU GUYS! lol...Next up: reception. Woohoo. We're getting there.

Warning: rambling ahead, sorry, but just to clarify, I gave the wrong impression in my last author's notes (and the cliffhanger probably didn't help). We're in Act 3, still plenty of chapters left. Trying to wrap everything up neatly, because it really is the wedding that won't end, but I'd say the fun was in the journey. ;) Sorry if the chapters are a little long. When I write them out, I try to tick off things that need to be addressed plot-wise, it's when I rewrite that a whole bunch of EXTRA comes up, and then sometimes it takes off on its own. Like in this chapter, I don't know, it took off somewhere different and I went with it b/c it also ended up giving Bonkai a useful rest. Hope you enjoyed it.

Oh, and Yocupcake, re: Bonnie being anchor-I scrapped adding that part of her history. Sorry, but I'm missing chunks of show history, so in this world, I made it that she died for real after resurrecting Jeremy, died for real. Grams' spirit somehow brought her back, and at some point Silas-with-Stefan-face came and killed her dad while she had no powers after she returned. I'll get to that part of her history later. I'm going to leave the other side kind of hazy, like it's there but there's no weird endless party of people parading through it. I kind of wish the show had never destroyed it, actually. Then at least we'd know canon Kai could pop up there sometimes. :/


	19. Chapter 19

_CHAPTER NINETEEN _

Liv and Tyler stayed at the altar, instead of trekking their way down the aisle. At the same moment, Richard Vansel, and two other elders that Bonnie had seen with Kai earlier walked up to her friends, the first to offer their congratulations to the newlyweds. Kai himself glanced at her, hesitating as if he meant to say something, before he shook his head quickly, then slid out of his seat to join the elders and congratulate his sister and Tyler.

As the crowd continued to clap, and some broke into cheers, Bonnie watched Joshua stand and kiss his daughter on the cheek, then shake Tyler's hand. Kai was following the other three, stepping up to different positions around the altar, when Joshua held an arm out, staying him. Mentally, she cast a spell to amplify the sound of their voices, so she could hear them over the applause.

"I can do this part, son," Joshua was saying.

"Since when do you call me son, _pops_?" Kai mocked. "What're you up to?"

"I told you, I want to do my part."

"Well, that's fine. But this isn't it. Gemini ancestral magic runs through my blood now, remember?"

"I was hoping you would let me take over for this one."

"Ah-ah-ah. Coven rules. Whoever holds the ancestral magic needs to lead the completion spell." He threw a hollow smile at the older man, smoothly moving around him. "You haven't been leading any of these in years now. If you did it, that might invalidate this whole shebang. I know you don't want that, right?"

And there was the crack, Bonnie saw. As Kai patted his shoulder dismissively, walking off, Joshua's eyes lit up for the tiniest second with indignation, but it was the helpless kind. He seemed to know he wasn't going to win this one, not faced with Kai's unstoppable will and unflappable deadly calm just then. She'd been on the receiving end of such treatment from him recently, and she was beyond glad now that it was working in their favor. Parts of her wanted to cheer him on in front of everyone. It was almost embarrassing.

Tyler and Liv moved quickly to the back part of the altar momentarily, where a high table rested, a stone bowl standing in the middle. Bonnie caught the flash of something metal and sharp, then her friends joined their left hands to hover over the bowl briefly. They were dripping a tiny amount of their blood inside, she realized. As quickly as they had started, it was over, and the pair made their way towards the rest of the assembly, their hands wiped clean as they waved to the crowd and stepped down the aisle.

Two of Kai's siblings stepped forward then, their hands inconspicuously waving towards the sky. Branches and leaves rustled overhead immediately, then a fluttering burst of noise reached them, as hundreds of colorful birds flew out in unison, soaring up in synchrony, beating their little wings. Black and white, red and blue, yellow and green, they seemed to be a type of crow from what Bonnie could make out of their forms. The skies darkened dramatically then, clouds rushing to shroud the sun, and distantly thunder boomed. Steadily, they birds flew higher, forming into a migration pattern, and then they dove back down, swooping almost dangerously low, causing the assembly to duck in response, before they veered back up and then, with one last explosion of noise and color, disappeared westward. As they vanished, thunder sounded once more, and lightning cracked, lighting up the gloomy sky. Seconds later, the clouds broke, revealing blue skies and the sun once again.

Belatedly, she realized she was looking at an auspice, and wasn't surprised to find that the coven practiced augury. She knew a few others that still dabbled in this arcane practice, but had yet to see it in action. It was a time consuming effort, divination of the will of the gods, and involved too many disparate parts, for too little gain. To her, it didn't seem worth it, but for a coven linked to two thousand years of tradition, she could understand the appeal.

A murmur broke out from the crowd, some confused, but more of them pleased. Then Liv and Tyler moved through the aisle, and the entire assembly broke out again into more cheers, the tension from before evaporating, as they were suddenly surrounded by family, nearest friends, and a crowd of other coven members. The photographer, up until that moment inconspicuous in the crowd, stepped up then to claim the newlyweds. Matt clapped Tyler's shoulder and kissed Liv on her cheek, then smoothly separated himself, as the crowd, with Liv and Tyler in their midst, began trekking towards the exit out of the redwood circle.

"We need to regroup," Matt said grimly, as they brought up the tail end of the slow-moving exodus.

"Okay, but hang on, let me check the feeds," Caroline said. "I smelled something off earlier."

Bonnie nodded distractedly, keeping a furtive watch on Kai and the other three elders. They had taken up the cardinal positions around the altar, their eyes closed. Kai was on the eastern end, his magic surging powerfully up and around, forming a tunnel around the altar. The other three witches began an incantation, their powers cresting above their forms to join Kai's. Because they were elders, their magic teemed with force and experience, auras blending harmoniously together. But Kai's essence still overpowered them all, an unfixed supercell storm in miniature, with ever-changing swirls of silver to blue to orange and then gray, illuminating stray bolts of lightning flashing out. Her magic pounded forcefully in response, straining to answer the challenge contained in his. Were the Gemini spirits always angry like this, or just a reflection of his mood? Either way, she now knew how much of it he kept leashed.

Malachai Parker would make for a powerful ally, came the whisper from her brain. And a terrible enemy.

The stone twins shook, their red demonic eyes glowing silver, as the magic around them spun in a cyclone. Bonnie caught others watching, all of them witches, their magic pulsing excitedly in response to the show. Others walking off seemed to notice nothing amiss; the humans, maybe magically conditioned to remain oblivious. The stone heads raised, mouths opening, acting as a vacuum to draw in all the mystical energies. Silver eyes blinked, and then as one, poured that same magic out, in a beam that cut through the highest redwood branches and all the way up to the clouds. The heads drifted back into their normal position, mouths closed, eyes slowly going back to red, and then finally, gray stone. And what remained were tiny specks of magical dust drifting in the air, invisible against the bands of sunlight filtering through, but flickering like fireflies against the shadowy parts of the clearing.

A few of the witches who witnessed it all nodded their approval, among them some of the Parker siblings, the rest of the Vansels, and the other two women Bonnie had noticed earlier. She guessed they were sisters by their similar appearances, one taller and more lithe. Unsurprisingly, Fiona and the taller sister were eyeing Kai, as he and the other three elders walked away from the altar. It took effort not to gaze at him directly like the other two were doing, but she managed to just sweep a quick look over, and saw that his half-lidded gaze was on her. That familiar flush stole over her face and chest, and low in her belly came a responsive purr. It was obvious he was coming off a little bit of a high from the magic he'd unleashed. No wonder the other women couldn't keep their eyes off him; he was like a beacon for sex right now, to any witch already attracted to him.

Firmly, she schooled her thoughts to something else, and found it instantly when she saw Noah Vansel.

Among the members of the coven, his face was the only one that looked troubled.

Bonnie kept her gaze surreptitiously on him, making her to way Matt and Caroline. They had stepped off to the side of the semi-circled seating arrangement, waiting for others to pass. They made a show of pretending to look for something, as coven members glanced curiously.

"Dropped my earring somewhere," Caroline explained to the passerby with an airy laugh, holding onto Matt's arm as they both had their eyes on the ground.

Bonnie threw herself into the act, and soon they looked like a trio of dufuses.

"Okay, why are we looking for a pretend earring?" she asked.

"Stalling," Caroline said, and held out her phone, but put it quickly away when others walked by. "Remember I told you I smelled something off?" she whispered. "Well, the camera picked up on it."

"We should show it to Kai," Matt said, face grim. "And what the hell, I thought Liv said Joshua wouldn't be a problem?"

"You know how that goes," Bonnie answered, shrugging with one shoulder, but bothered because here again, she'd failed. Liv's story about his antics at the last wedding made it seem like Joshua Parker being absent from this one was a common shared goal, for her and her friends, and also for the Geminis. Making sure Joshua was out commission had been Kai's job, according to Liv. Bonnie had simply assumed it was taken care of-Kai was an able warlock. She had a hard time believing that he'd goofed here.

Caroline's fine brows puckered at her. "I pinched you before, to ask if you noticed anything off with your magic, but you were just...zoned out. Are you okay? What happened?"

Her face warming, she shrugged. "Just preoccupied. Sorry. What'd you see?" she asked Matt.

But before he could answer, just then the remaining party of coven members seemed to be entering into a little bit of a minor hiccup as they trekked out. Joshua Parker's voice carried, as he said, "We should be following pecking order, when we get to the meeting."

"Not a big deal, it's not like this is official coven business." This from Kai, in his ever-present sardonic tone.

"A wedding involving a Parker bride isn't official coven business?"

"Business as in, no heads will be rolling at this event, unlike at some of our other gatherings."

And that, from Kai, seemed like as much a threat as a sarcastic comment.

"Malachai, I hope you can indulge an old man," Joshua insisted. "Protocol should still be followed at all times if you want to stay strong as a coven. Althea, I'll escort you."

Then he maneuvered Richard Vansel with Rachel Parker, and the older man with the cane with Fiona. Geoff Parker went to pair with the shorter of the sisters, the tall one being nudged forward by Joshua towards Kai. The remaining party members followed suit, pairing up according to the coven leader's wishes.

It was all patently ridiculous, putting Bonnie in mind of those steamy romance books that her Grams used to stock up on. She and Elena used to sneak into her room to read them together, because they liked the Regency costumes and got a laugh out of the aristocrats who preened and imposed strict social order in between scenes of ripped bodices, heaving bosoms, and burning loins.

The memory gave Bonnie an urge to smile like a madwoman. And anyway, she felt like one, because this wedding was never-ending and she and her friends kept getting kicked in the teeth by Murphy's law.

As the procession of witches passed by them, Joshua led the way, his former air of humility from earlier intermingled with something that better fit her idea of the man-pride. There was no apparent ill-intent still, the way he addressed Kai. These things mattered to him, motivated him to impose control, on his terms, micromanaging all these grown-and in some cases, elderly-witches merely on how to walk into a damn room. Just what the old man was planning was hard to understand, though.

She, Caroline, and Matt shared an uncomfortable glance when the group paused, Joshua finally registering their presence.

Bonnie avoided looking at them, but the older man turned to them questioningly. "Are you lost?"

Behind Joshua, Kai stood rigidly, the young woman next to him squeezing his elbow gently as she whispered something in his ear. And a few paces in the back, Fiona was glaring, looking for all the world like she had just stepped in knee-deep shit.

A grin threatened to erupt from Bonnie's tightly clamped lips.

Kai's focus cut to her, his face a mask of cool indifference but his eyes the complete opposite of amused. His companion gave Bonnie a pleasant questioning glance, like she was actually interested in maybe helping. Definitely an improvement over Fiona.

Caroline gave her charming little helpless spiel to the group, explaining about her earring. Then she even dropped daintily to the grass, dragging Matt with her. "It's our anniversary present, you see. And he spent a small fortune on it."

Bonnie took her cue and moved off to search also, but didn't dare drop to the grass, because the back of her dress was already precariously low.

Matt gave a quick look at Kai. "Maybe someone'll find it and _return_ it to you, right _here_ ," Matt said. "Kind of _urgent_."

A slight furrow of his brows was the only acknowledgement from Kai.

"Rest assured," Joshua said to Matt, his tone firm. "None of us are thieves, if anyone found it nobody would keep it to themselves. And maybe," he added, as an afterthought, glancing doubtfully at Caroline, softening the look with a polite smile, "the poor girl might have just forgotten to put it on. Now, please excuse us." He started moving on, prompting the rest to proceed as well. "We have matters to attend to."

Bonnie moved away from the line of witches, her eyes pretending to search the area off to the side, while her magic lapped beneath her skin uncertainly. Where the hell was the evil manipulative Gemini leader? This pompous and condescending but otherwise harmless old man wasn't deserving of his bones being liquefied, thoughts she had entertained off and on over the past weekend.

Her back tingled, like it was being warmed by a lamp, and she knew without looking that Kai's gaze was still on her. If she threw a shoe at him to let him know that he was being obvious, would that defeat the purpose somewhat?

 _Hey, guy, pretty Gemini witch on your arm needs attention, go burn a hole into her face instead of my back._

The thought hurt, but she squeezed it out, and made it stay. What made it worse was the new woman had the same international supermodel look that Fiona had going on. Damn Gemini genes. Was it so much to ask for one of the female witches to be short and averagely cute? And why had he never mentioned this woman?

Bonnie curtailed her musings; it was enough that someone else was there for him. Someone perfect and-judging by her magical aura-powerful enough to complement him. He needed a woman that could cover his back against all of the enemies that his future position would engender.

The tail end of the procession was finally moving past, when Fiona abruptly turned. "Your anniversary present?" she asked Caroline, her voice sharp. "Your anniversary present from _him_?" she indicated Matt. Then her blue laser like gaze narrowed in on Bonnie. "I could've sworn _you_ let slip that he was _your_ boyfriend?"

Shit.

Caroline looked at Matt and Bonnie.

Deep and holy shit.

Bonnie saw Joshua and Geoff narrow their gazes at her and her friends, and _now_ her magic spiked furiously in defense, goading her to lash out and beat on them. Squashing the urge, she opened her mouth to try to explain, but her friend beat her to it.

"Did I say our?" Caroline said. "Sorry, no, it's my present, from my fiancé. He's not here." Then she laughed gaily, slapping a hand to her head. "I'm just so used to Stefan being with me, and so I always say 'we' and 'our' and 'us.' Drives everyone crazy."

"Yeah," Bonnie piped in. "Mental over here, because of her." She laughed, too. Awkwardly.

Matt cleared his throat. "We do look alike, her fiancé and me..." he offered, trailing off lamely.

Almost against her will, Bonnie's attention strayed to Kai's face. His eyes closed in consternation, and then he started disentangling his elbow from the other woman's hold, at the exact same moment that Noah Vansel swiftly freed himself also from his companion. Surprised, she watched the tall man move quickly towards her, smiling easily as he coasted to a stop.

"Bonnie, right?" he said. "We met yesterday. Maybe I can help. What's the earring look like?"

Bonnie blinked up at him, his blue eyes warm and friendly, pretty much the total opposite of Fiona's, which made her instantly suspicious. His sister's obvious disdain was far less dangerous, which was a sad reminder that Bonnie needed to restructure her life. If this had been any other time, she would have taken an instant liking to the guy, who seemed like the type of man who held doors open for strangers or helped old ladies cross the street.

She frowned, shaking her head. "You know, I'm not really sure. Care?"

She left Caroline to fabricate something and retreated quickly from him, because Bonnie couldn't trust herself just then to come up with a decent description-she was busy wishing everyone half a world away, and herself on a beach alone with a big glass of margarita.

"Noah," came the low, lilting baritone, behind Bonnie but coming nearer. "I'll take care of them. Escort Alanis, too, would you?"

She didn't turn at all, waiting to see if Kai would get vetoed again.

"But it's no trouble, you and Alanis-"

"Go. NOW." Then Kai shifted into his menacingly light voice. "I got this."

More shuffling, and then the redwood circle quieted, the air in the clearing lightening with the disappearance of all those magical auras. A few moments more, and the last threads of power were completely gone, except for hers and Kai's.

Bonnie let out a small breath of relief. Which she almost choked on, when Kai put a hand on her back.

"Total fail there," he whispered in her ear, a stray bolt of his magic zapping her slightly on her spine. It wasn't painful, but definitely unexpected in a toe-curling way that made her whirl around, ready to box his ears. Or, alternatively, press up against him for a kiss.

Her magic was to blame. It liked his a little too much.

He was eyeing her with a small smirk that didn't totally hide his exasperation.

"Anyone care to explain why you three are trying your best to get caught?" he asked. "How incompetent can you guys get? Geeze."

Caroline glanced around suspiciously, while Matt nonchalantly continued to pretend to look for the earring.

"What the hell's wrong with your friends, Bonnie?"

She couldn't answer that, because she was wondering herself. "You guys?"

Caroline glared at them, then nodded surreptitiously to her phone, which she had left on the grass.

"Pretend to look for that damn earring," Matt mumbled. "And press playback on the feed. Both of you."

He was in full-on irritated sheriff mode now, and Bonnie didn't hesitate to obey. Kai rolled his eyes, then dropped to one knee just a little behind her. A second later, while she dragged the phone closer to them, he was leaning in to whisper over her shoulder, "At least I can enjoy the view."

Struggling not to reveal too much of herself while she crouched, she glowered at him, covertly checking to make sure her dress was still covering her ass. It did, but his gaze was thoroughly fixed on it anyway. Rolling her eyes, keeping the phone hidden between them on the grass, she played the feed, their heads hovering close over the small screen.

Muted sounds of the ceremony from earlier rang out. Matt's perspective on the screen stayed surprisingly even, offering a panoramic view of the crowd. He was watching everything, from the people in the chairs, to the ones at the altar, and then to the very back near the entrance, where only scenery awaited.

Several minutes into the feed, the images blurred, as interference cut into the signal, and then went back to normal. The camera stayed steady and then suddenly in the background, something flashed quickly, in between two of the redwoods. It happened once more, Matt noticing it the second time because the view shifted jarringly, focusing on the trees, but nothing was there. She pressed rewind, going back a few seconds, then hit pause, trying to time just when the image blurred in and out. But she kept missing the moment. "Dammit," she muttered.

"Here," Kai said, tapping at the screen. He made quick work of the buttons, but then missed it himself. "Shit. Hang on."

They were both now holding the phone, their fingers grazing, and she wasn't sure, but maybe that factored in a little with how bad their timing was.

"Did you guys see it?" Caroline asked.

Bonnie huffed in annoyance, while Kai said, "Trying," in an irritated sing-song.

Caroline eyed them skeptically, her eyes going back and forth. Bonnie waited as Kai repeated his effort, then pursed her mouth to hide a glower, when he went back several minutes instead, and happened to land on the time when he joined her row to sit next to her. After watching a few seconds, she saw the smallest movement of her arm on the screen, followed by his, and knew that she was seeing the exact moment when they started holding hands. They both glanced up at the same time from the screen, locking eyes.

Curiously, his ears began turning pink.

Bonnie crossed her arms and looked away, her own face feeling balmy.

"Oh, my God," Caroline said, throwing her hands up in the air. "You know what, you two? Do everyone a favor and just get a damn room already." She waved a careless hand behind her, in the direction of the lodge. "Pick one. I don't care. You'll be more useful after."

Bonnie's jaw dropped, as she stared at her friend in shock. Matt covered an uncomfortable laugh with a cough.

Still pink-eared, Kai seemed bemused, his tongue poking out of one cheek as he studied Bonnie. "Might be the first time I ever agreed with a vampire," he finally said.

Bonnie snatched the phone from him and slid it to Caroline, sharply glaring at her friend's wonderful way with words. The blonde only gave a small apologetic shrug. "Use your speed and get it to the right spot," Bonnie told her sullenly.

And then spent the next few moments idly glancing over the grass, feeling foolish for a multitude of reasons. The back and forth with Kai, the speed bumps in their plan, and now this fake search for an earring that had her crouching on the grass with him lounging nearby, like they were on a picnic. He was still one-kneed beside her, his brown hair highlighted with auburn in the sun. She pulled her eyes away, concentrating on her other thoughts.

"I don't think anyone's watching anymore, you guys." Her gaze went around the clearing. "Because you're right, Care, I did sense something earlier."

She sat back now, dwelling on the memory of it. Something had felt slightly off. Kai shifted nearer, his elbow resting casually on his other knee.

"Hair stands on your neck and your blood feels a little creepy-crawly?" he asked.

She turned to him, nodding. "It feels...unnatural? Maybe we have another vampire running around?"

"Nope. Not unless they have your nifty little veil dropped on them, like Caroline. We Geminis get taught early how to sense them from far out."

Curious and also impressed, she faced him more fully, and he made a similar move, his half-smile in place. Under the sun, the ends of his lashes appeared tipped with auburn also, and his gray eyes lightened, reminding her of ocean waves on a choppy day. They were bright with pleasure right now, and she could tell it was because of her showing intrigue towards a Gemini practices. It hit her that he was strangely proud of his coven, despite how much he liked to display otherwise. He was so quick to mock everything, even the things that brought him genuine emotions.

Caroline cleared her throat. They both looked up, and found she'd passed the phone back. The two of them leaned in again over the screen, and this time, Bonnie let out a quick muted gasp at what she saw on the frozen screen.

"Okay," Kai said. "Unexpected and a little creepy."

A blurred out form stood in solitude between the trees in the back. No features could be made out, just a dark, shadowy mass, of what she hesitantly placed as a woman. Like from one of those Asian horror ghost stories that she watched occasionally with Damon and Elena, because Damon loved nothing more than scaring the bejeezus out of his wife.

"Don't tell me," Bonnie said to Kai, her voice low. "That what's been spying on us is a ghost?"

He smiled fleetingly. "No, probably not."

She nodded. "Too easy."

"So what could it be?" Matt asked. "I couldn't make out her features."

"Can your feed go to another receiver?" Kai asked. "One with better resolution?"

Caroline frowned. "No," she said, sounding angry. "I knew I should've gone for the higher model."

Standing now, Matt placed his hands on his hip as he frowned down at them. "What do you mean, 'what's _been_ spying on us?' Have you guys noticed you were being watched before?"

Bonnie's gaze met Kai's again, and he shrugged, giving no indication that he cared either way how she handled the question.

"I know that look," Matt accused. "That's a SNAFU face."

Forgetting to share the development hadn't been intentional-after so many disruptions the thought had just slipped her mind. Rookie mistake, that. She felt Kai's eyes on her now, but he said nothing at all. If anything, now he seemed slightly pleased that she was under the microscope. "So...don't freak out," she said calmly to her friends.

And they both instantly zeroed their sharp eyes on her, freaking out.

"He noticed it first," she said, indicating Kai.

"When we had breakfast together," he added helpfully.

Her friends' eyes widened.

"In the dining room," Bonnie hissed. "We ran into each other. After you left," she nodded to Matt. "He and I were the only ones who happened to be there. He said he felt like someone had spied on us the whole time." She frowned. "But I didn't sense anything."

"Because you were busy stuffing your face with my last cannoli," he said, pouting playfully.

Her fingers itched to wring his neck. He winked at her.

"Was it the same creepy-crawly thing you mentioned you felt during the ceremony?" Matt asked Kai. "You sensed it during breakfast?"

He pondered that, then shook his head.

Matt scratched at his chin in thought. "I guess we shouldn't really be surprised, right? Someone slipping Tyler the potion, and now we got this Grudge-lookalike spy." His shoulders drooped slightly. "We got multiple bogeys."

They all shared a collective grimace then, because he'd just given voice to what was running through their heads.

"When we get to the reception I'm going to do a couple sweeps," Matt said, fixing his glasses. He nodded to Caroline. "You should do the same, on your own."

Bonnie leaned forward, thinking she could do her own magical scan for anything untoward, if she could make it far enough away from all the other witches. "And me?"

Matt's eyes took on a conniving gleam. "Play bait."

That...didn't sound like her usual thing.

"I don't do bait," Bonnie scoffed. "I do cavalry."

"Whoa, hang on," Kai cut in now. "You're not serious." Everyone blinked at him. "That's your plan, your great idea? Bonnie playing bait?"

He gave a look of disbelief to Bonnie, as if asking 'do they not know you're a Bennett witch?'

"Usually, Bonnie's cavalry, but in this case, since she's the one being watched-"

She stared in surprise.

"After twenty years, I can read you pretty well, Bonnie," Matt said. "You might be good, but this is my damn job. What you just said doesn't add up. I haven't noticed anybody giving me any extra attention these last two days." Then he grimaced, adding, "Outside of Kai's little lapse."

Caroline's eyes reached for the sky, as did Bonnie's, because Kai and his earlier theatrics deserved some kind of reaction. Then again, maybe they could've saved themselves a lot of trouble by giving him fair warning. Or doing Vegas.

He chuckled here. "If you're holding your breath on an apology, hate to tell you, but you're gonna turn blue waiting." Then he shook his head derisively. "And let me be the official voice of reason-again-and tell you that this bait idea sucks. You three," his glanced moved to Bonnie, and what crossed his face was quickly hidden, as he swallowed abruptly. "You should just go home."

"No dice," Bonnie said evenly. "There's no way we can just leave now."

"Your father crashing means shit's gonna go down," Matt said. "Unless he's telling the truth?"

Kai raised his brows, and let out a hearty laugh.

"Didn't think so," Caroline muttered.

"Liv said you took care of Joshua," Bonnie said, her tone not at all accusing, but laced with misgiving. "How?"

"I loaded my old man up with enough sedatives this morning," Kai said, laughter dying down, as he shook his head sheepishly. "To put two cows to sleep. So either his metabolism had a surprising uptick in the last couple hours or he's full of shit, as usual."

"You think someone brought him out."

"That or he knew what was coming somehow and already had countermeasures." He shrugged. "I'll find out."

Grace under pressure she'd heard of, and even occasionally attempted herself, to varying result, but this man-he didn't seem at all disturbed by the shit flying their way. He gazed back at her, seemingly unruffled except for a gleam in his eyes, and it was enough to tell her that he understood. She guessed it was another coping skill he'd somehow picked up that she had yet to master.

It made her feel slightly inadequate, until she remembered that for all that he looked near her age, he was essentially a forty-something year old. His life experience outpaced hers by at least a decade. But she suspected that a lot of it had to do more with inherent character traits. None of the vampires she knew who had witnessed over century of living could hope to match Kai's aplomb. Only Elijah Mikaelson could top it, and he was over a thousand years old.

"If you were all planning on waiting for Liv and Tyler" he said, the hint of another smirk on his face, "my father's calling a short coven meeting. Even right now, he's probably already got my sister stuck to her seat. With official coven-approved ceremonial glue."

Matt and Caroline shared a glance, then both shot a look towards the entrance, maybe hoping that their absent friends would just happen to show up in contradiction to his words. But Bonnie knew he was right.

"I don't think we should leave now," Matt said.

"There are too many unknowns," she agreed. "It would be almost reckless to just leave it like this."

That earned a reaction, as Kai's magic spiked around him. Her own magic simmered in response.

Kai leveled a hard stare at them all. "Don't think I'm capable? Forgetting that I'm the super powered heir to all this? And is it just me, or do I keep having to remind everyone that Luke's on our side, too?" He drew something out from under his jacket and offered it to Matt, patting his back. "I think you're safe to take your little taser and go home."

Now Caroline was shaking her head. "Look, Kai-I'm going to call you that, because I'm assuming that we're all okay now." She nodded to Bonnie. "I don't know if Bonnie's mentioned, but she's pretty experienced with sorting out disasters, and us right along with her."

"Really?" His eyes slid over each one of them before resting finally on Bonnie. "Because from where I'm standing, I see people who cause disasters, not handle them."

Bonnie's blood warmed in anger, her magic careening out, but drew a breath and kept it tightly in check. Instead, she pulled herself up to stand. He stood, too, his hand held out automatically to help her. She ignored him.

There. The tightened jaw, the sudden look of calm passing over his face, and then the silky voice, directed in her ear. "Having to talk sense into you people is getting old."

Laughter escaped Bonnie's lips, completely involuntarily. "We don't have enough to worry about, right? Picking a fight with each other is just what we need."

Kai opened his mouth then, but she bulldozed ahead. "There's something really rotten in the state of Denmark. And so we're clear, I mean your coven. If something goes down, it'll just be you and Luke on your own doing damage control." Then she paused, confused momentarily, because in the history of her time in Mystic Falls, that sounded precisely like what her job had been, for many, many years. Funny how hindsight was twenty-twenty. "I mean, at least if you're so set on my friends leaving, I'll need to stay behind."

"Oh, I know where there is going," he said, his magic pulsing erratically for several long moments, and she wondered if he hadn't suddenly just stopped himself from pounding on her with his powers just then. If she squinted, she could almost see tiny billows of smoke drifting out of his ears.

"It'll work," Bonnie insisted. "I stay at the reception long enough to make sure Liv and Tyler get out and you and Luke don't have some evil uprising to deal with. Caroline and Matt wait for us in the car."

She looked to her friends for support, but they only glanced back, frowns on their faces.

The redwood branches swayed threateningly, as leaves around them started kicking up a fuss.

"You're joking, right?" asked Kai, his voice now full of disbelief. "You two, nothing to say? You're going along with her plan? You're a cop," he turned his glare at Matt, "and you're letting someone else take point for you? And you're a fucking vampire," now his hostility blasted Caroline, "but still willing to let Bonnie do all the work? Really, that's pathetic."

"We're not letting her do all the work," Matt said.

"This is a team effort here," Caroline added.

"Is that right? Then why am I only hearing ninety-nine percent Bonnie sweating it out." As he spoke, the wind in the clearing grew more forceful, leaves now flying haphazardly around their forms.

Bonnie reached out, touching his arm, hesitant because in the span of minutes the calm, cool, collected warlock had been replaced with someone volatile and she wasn't understanding the trigger. If she didn't know better, it almost seemed like her well-being-or lack of it-concerned him, and yet he of all people knew she could handle herself. Hadn't they just faced off hours ago, with her gaining the upper hand? It didn't make sense.

"Enough, Kai," she said.

He gave her an angry glance, but the wind down some, leaves slowly dropping back to the ground.

Caroline and Matt exchanged disturbed glances. "You're the one telling us to leave!" Caroline argued.

"We're not okay with Bonnie being the only one staying," Matt added.

"I didn't hear either of you saying no to her." Then he laughed in scorn. "Then there's the genius idea to use her _bait._ Jesus. You people."

Kai gave them a look of utter disdain, then angled his head to Bonnie, clucking disapprovingly. "You know you're like a bad permissive mom, with a bunch of spoiled brats who can't tie their own shoe."

She bristled because he really didn't have any right to be judging anyone, even though a tiny part of her acknowledged that there existed a kernel of truth in his words. Years of being her friends had inured the gang to her magic bailing them out. It was as much her fault as it was theirs, though, because for a while there, she was nothing if not gung-ho about spearheading everything. But who was he to call them out for this? And also, he was clearly forgetting that she was a damn Bennett. Or maybe that just didn't put her on the scoreboard in the first place, by his standards.

"We'll just stay," Bonnie finally said. "All of us." She raised a brow at Kai, adding. "The way things are going, we should think all hands on deck."

He didn't need to know that she was going to make sure Joshua Parker wouldn't do anything that could hurt his son, before she left.

"Like hell," Kai said, his furious form closing in on her. She braced herself, thinking, great, now they were going to fight. _Again._

"Kai?" came a woman's melodious voice from a distance.

The group turned around.

The tall brunette witch that he'd been escorting was waiting just inside the entrance. She moved closer, her pretty face slightly hesitant. "Everything okay?"

He ignored her, and turned his attention back to Bonnie.

"You're gonna get us caught," she pleaded, because he was standing far too close, and she could sense the other woman eyeing them in confusion. "Please just go."

The rigid set of his shoulders and jaws told her that he couldn't be swayed.

"Kai, they're finishing up pictures," called the other woman, more insistently. "We have that...meeting. And Liv and Tyler are missing." She laughed in a pleasant harmonious way. "Joshua's about to throw a conniption fit."

Still, he didn't move, as his eyes locked on Bonnie's and the storm clouds brewing inside them grew darker.

Caroline suddenly moved forward, letting out a pleased shout. "Oh, thank you!" she cried happily. She faked taking something from one of Kai's hands, then turned to the other woman. "He found my earring!"

That seemed to snap him back to attention. Heaving his shoulders, he cast Bonnie one last look that seemed to roast her from inside out. By the time he'd turned back to the woman, smile of mockery in place, his demeanor had slipped back into casual, as he loped with easy grace towards the other witch, who tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow as he escorted her out the clearing. Their dark heads were bent towards each other, tall forms casting one large shadow on the grass.

Bonnie didn't know it was possible to wish harm on someone and want to lavish gratitude on said person, all in the same moment. But that summed up her feelings to a tee, for the woman clutching Kai Parker's elbow.

Turning to her friends, she was surprised to find them silently drilling holes into her head.

It hit her why.

"You guys, don't-don't let what he said get to you," she began.

"He has a point," Matt said, although his voice came out as bemused than upset.

"You both tried to convince me to not go along with this whole charade, but I steamrolled over that. I'm the one who put everyone's necks on the line."

"Yours more than ours," Caroline said. "I can't believe it, but the bad guy actually made me feel like the bad guy. Yuck." Then her face scrunched up in disgust. "Actually, scratch that. I feel like I'm human Elena back in high school, when she was getting into scrape after scrape and always waiting on you or Damon or Stefan to bail her out."

Matt looked at Caroline. "We should've gotten to Tyler first and made him rethink this all months ago."

"Ugh, you're right." Then she waved to Bonnie. "It's not like this one ever listens to us, anyway."

And now, they had a point. "Guys, stop, okay? Kai doesn't have it all figured out. This is our thing. We're practically pros now. It's not like it used to be back in high school and college." She smiled. "We grew up and got a little more bad ass."

This changed both of their expressions, although a linger of doubt remained.

"He's not all wrong, either, Bonnie," Matt said. "He was trying to get us out of here."

"Yeah, ya know, maybe I need to stop calling him the bad guy," Caroline said, her voice light but her face keen on Bonnie's. "Jerky, sure. But I think I'll take his company over Damon's. Just don't tell Elena."

"If we ever see her again," Matt muttered.

"We will," Bonnie promised. "Now let's quit with the second guessing. I mean, hey, Liv and Tyler are _married_ now!"

"Yay," Matt deadpanned.

And with that, they soon went in search of their friends. As luck would have it, here was one thing that actually went their way. Their trek back to the lodge was quiet, subdued, but as they approached it, and Bonnie felt the restless buzz of magic emanating from its walls, her anxiety kicked into overdrive. When they reached the lobby, wondering where Liv and Tyler could be had transformed into shared panic among the three, that had them discussing splitting up to search. And then Bonnie's phone buzzed. The face they saw on the screen drew out a long sigh of relief from everyone.

They moved them into an empty conference room, as she picked up the call and placed it on speaker.

"Bonnie," came Liv's voice, breathless on the other end. "Where are you?"

"Lobby in one of the rooms. What about you?"

"My suite," again, Liv's panting was pronounced.

Caroline frowned. "Sweetie, you sound like you've already started your honeymoon, and much as I'm all for celebrating your nuptials, it's _really_ not the best time."

Liv's disgruntled laugh came through. "No chance of that. In fact, I'm ready to murder my new husband."

"I'm not doing this!" That was Tyler, sounding both pained and resolute. "We're almost done, Kai's on our side, and this is overkill!"

"You're being a dope," was Liv's retort on the other line. "My dad's up to no good."

"What's going on?" Matt asked.

"Liv cloaked us so," Tyler said, "so we could get to her suite. She wanted to get to the-" here he broke up, to bicker incoherently some more with his new bride.

"We're all grown ass people, Tyler," Liv finally said. "Give it a rest and get over it. Anyway, we're using it for a good cause."

Bonnie's eyes widened, as she realized what could have prompted that statement.

Tyler's blow up doll stand-in.

"What're you planning?" Bonnie asked, although she had a good idea already.

"Well-"

But she broke off, the sound of pounding from her end of the line reaching Bonnie's ears. Someone's muffled voice came through, and then the sound of a door opening and shutting forcefully, followed by Tyler and Liv arguing some more, this time with a third voice added in the mix.

"What the hell are you two idiots up to now?" was the next thing they heard, from a familiar low, nuanced voice that held traces of grossed-out skepticism.

So Kai had managed to shake his clingy new girlfriend off, somehow. Bonnie saw Matt and Caroline's faces mirror her apprehension.

"What's going on?" Bonnie asked.

There were sounds of scuffle, and then female grumbling mixed in with a distinct male growl, and Kai's alarmed "Watch it!" and then a loud POP, followed by Liv's angry scream. "Tyler, you dumbass!"

"What the hell just happened?" Bonnie demanded on the phone, as she, Caroline, and Matt made a run for the door, thinking someone had gotten hurt.

"Well," Kai's voice now, in a lazy, derisive tone. "The new Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood were arguing over this male sex doll. Instead of heading to their own wedding reception, you know, like a normal couple might do after they get married."

They stopped just before the door, and a pair of eyebrows rose in tandem, as Matt and Caroline threw each other glances, clearly wondering if they had just heard Kai right.

"It's not a sex doll," Bonnie explained, not only for her friends but also for Kai. "In the past they used a spell to make it Tyler's stand in. Liv brought it just in case they needed to again, here."

"Tyler just popped it," Kai said, his chuckle warm and low. Bonnie tried to banish the stray thought that wiggled into her mind, of how appealing his phone voice was. "So that's gonna be a no go."

"I can fix it," Liv said angrily. "It'll only take a couple seconds."

"Sorry, sis, but you need to come with me to the stupid coven meeting because dear dad wants to flex some muscle, and I'll be damned," he added in an exasperated chuckle, "If you get to skip it and I'm stuck having to watch that mess. Then after that, you both need to get to the reception. And please, can everyone just agree to exercise this thing called a brain? I'm getting lonely, being the only one doing it. That goes double for you three on the line."

"Look, Kai," Liv, sounding fed up. "I know you think you're smarter than everyone, so it shouldn't be hard for you to understand. That doll is our ticket out of here. I can do the duplication spell and finagle the dup into a blonde female so Tyler and I could both skedaddle after the meeting and leave them as our reception dummies."

Bonnie gasped. "Not a bad idea," she said in slight awe, much like she'd been earlier by her brother's mind hopping. Clearly, of the Parkers, Kai and Liv had inherited the biggest share of scheming genes.

"Fine, genius," Kai snapped at his sister. "But if you get called on to do magic, your blow up twin will fall short of tricks and blow your cover. Okay, wait. Gross. That came out all wrong."

Bonnie couldn't help laughing a little at Kai's disgusted grumble.

"Tickled pink, huh, Bon?" he asked. "This whole thing's just a barrel of laughs, right?"

She made a face at the phone, pointing at it with a finger and looking at her friends, silently mouthing 'whatever.'

"Meet us at the reception hall," Kai ordered her, in a way that brooked no discussion. "Since you insist on sticking around. But you all need to understand. You're staying because I'm letting you. So I call the shots. Everyone peachy with that?"

The grumbles in the background on the other end indicated Liv and Tyler's assent.

"Fine."

"Okay."

Blinking in surprise, she turned to her friends, who shrugged.

"Bonnie," came the low, warning rumble on the line, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

She continued to glare at the phone, while her friends were already on their way out the room. When did listening to Kai become autopilot for them? Disturbing trend, that, and she wondered if she should point it out to them now before it got any worse.

"Bonnie," Kai's voice changed, sounding clearer and far more intimate, and now she could hear less background noise as well. "Take me off speaker."

"I was about to hang up," she retorted, holding the phone close to her ear.

"So soon?" he teased. "You didn't agree to my terms yet."

"You know I won't."

"Oooooh. I love it when you get all defiant. Guess I'll have to persuade you in a different way."

"You have everyone else playing by your rules. I won't just blindly follow you, but I can promise from here on out I won't keep you out of the loop." Her sigh came out aggravated. "What else do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know," he drawled. "There's me, you, a shared telephone connection and serious unresolved sexual tension."

She almost dropped her cell. Mouth going slack, she stared at it, then shot a glance to her friends. Luckily, they were further ahead, and Caroline looked too distracted to register anything with her vampiric hearing.

"I hope you didn't just say that in front of your sister," she muttered.

"I may or may not be dawdling well behind them. Where're you at, exactly?"

"Where do you think? Turning the corner to get to the reception hall."

Silence reigned briefly on the other end, and then-

"Wait for me?" came his subdued question.

Her brain screamed yes, as well as other parts of her that had probably gone unattended for far too long. But her ever reliable superego balked, knowing what waiting for him would lead to. In a nutshell-a quickie. Which by itself maybe wasn't a bad idea-and here she knew she was being indecisive, because hadn't she just resolved earlier, at the end of their short trip to her head, to avoid sex with this man? But people could change their minds. She'd even heard something from a song about how this was a woman's prerogative. Or something. And, oh, God, he was worth changing it for.

But the timing-the two most seasoned witches in this little motley crew, going AWOL just when they would be needed most. It couldn't happen.

Her laugh when it came out was less playful and more strangled. "Don't you need to get to that meeting?"

"I can be late. It's my father's show anyway."

"Last I checked, Kai, you had enough groupies on your plate."

"Oh-ho. Jealous?"

"No, _wishful_. My life would be _so_ much easier if you could fixate on any of those other women while you managed to help us."

"Ouch." Somehow his voice sounded anything but hurt. "You fight it too much, Bonnie. Let go already. You like your new handkerchief?"

Her chest squeezed. "Yes," she said quietly. "Thank you. It's lovely."

"So are you," he said, equally solemn on the other end. "You're welcome."

By this point, she couldn't even see her friends anymore, because they'd disappeared down the walkway that led to the hall. She leaned against the wall, knowing she shouldn't because who knew, he might be steps away, and if he caught up to her, it would be over. She was pretty sure she no longer had the strength to fight him off anymore. But something bugged her and she needed to get it off her chest.

"What happened in between the time that you gave it to me," she asked, pressing the phone closer to her ear, "and when you walked Liv down the aisle? Because you seemed spooked the next time I looked at you."

His chuckle on the phone was tinged with bitterness, and yet still an intimate rumble in her ears that made her close her eyes and imagine his face. She could see him wearing one of those expressions that uniquely belonged to him, the one that might say he'd gotten a taste of something both sweet and sour and couldn't decide if he wanted a repeat experience. Which pretty much summed up their time together this weekend.

He had just as many misgivings as she did. Clearly. And this without him having knowledge about the alternate realities where they took turns dying. Maybe she should tell him now, and then for sure he'd give her wide berth. There was a possibility it would disturb him enough to never see her again except to exchange key info about their alliance. No more touching, either.

But some people were contrary. What if knowing just made him more resolved in his pursuit?

Or what if it made him snap?

A sick feeling grew in her stomach, but she fought it down.

"I get it," she said.

"Do you now?"

"Sure. We're messy. I told you that before." Then she put resolve in her voice, as they reached the entrance to the hall. "I say this without any malice, Kai. Find someone else to play with. I can't be it. You have other people waiting on you, that fit your life better."

"Bonnie-"

"I have to go."

Her finger tapped on the 'end call' icon, and with a shaky hand, she slipped it into her wristlet and banished the entire conversation from her mind.

* * *

A/N: So this chapter ended all gloomy for Bonkai...how will they recover? :(

Five days between updates...yikes. But not to worry, I should have another chapter before Thursday. A hundred gazillion thanks again for reviewing, following, and favoriting, and all the fabulous feedback-long and short-that always helps me with perspective on the story. Have I mentioned you guys are awesome? Not enough times? Okay, you're awesome. Hope you enjoyed. :)


	20. Chapter 20

_CHAPTER TWENTY_

The meeting droned on for several minutes, while Kai slouched, his polished shoes resting on another chair that he decided made for a good stool. Head tilted back and his face turned to the ceiling, the obvious impression was that he was purposely being dismissive and insulting to his father, who was blathering on about who knew what-something about shirking responsibilities and facing mortality, and embracing change- who cared?

He was spouting bullshit, and Kai had other things to worry about.

Namely, just how many damn people were keeping a close surveillance on him and Bonnie, and how much of that had to do with Tyler's secret. He was nursing a quickly fading hope that it had more to do with Tyler. That would be easier.

Anything about Bonnie was a twisty-turny landmine. He was fairly sure he had already stepped on a couple of explosive areas and was now nursing some gaping holes, the biggest one somewhere on his torso, where his lungs might have resided.

It fucking _hurt._ Profound and lingering and foreign, nothing like he'd known before, the only worse things he'd ever experienced was the pain of losing his mom and grandfather, back to back. Women didn't hurt him; they liked him. He made sure they enjoyed their time with him, that they knew he didn't do many repeats, so he avoided hurting them, too.

It was such a good system. He was brilliant at it.

And now, this. Seriously, what the fuck?

They were in yet another conference room-one that was filled with a few boxes from the supplies brought in by the caterers and coordinators for the wedding-that seemed like a repository for excess things. It complimented the purpose of the gathering, called by Joshua.

"My recent behavior has no excuse," the old man was saying to the ruling elders. "But I'm thankful that my children have stepped up."

"Malachai has proven very effective at handling the reins," Althea Crux said, her expression measured as she looked around the room. "Whatever Theo and you have done for him, it's clear he will make you proud, when the time comes that you hand them over to him permanently."

More than half the other heads nodded, a murmur breaking out. A few stayed quiet, while others showed open distrust at her words. Kai slid his eyes to the side, and noted the way his siblings seemed to mostly support Althea's statement. All of them except Geoff and Sue, which didn't surprise him; Rachel, though, she definitely did. She was third oldest, and following him and Jo had never been the easiest thing as far birth order. She was the one everyone tended to forget, which explained why she went to so much trouble being officious about every damn thing. He'd always assumed she hated his guts even more than Geoff always claimed to, but just now she'd been nodding seriously as Althea spoke. Oddly, it filled a little of the hollowness in his chest. He was even capable of smiling, because when she caught him looking, she managed to glare daggers at Kai's shoes and where they rested. It was a look that reminded him sharply of his mother.

He sat up, although he kept his feet propped on the chair.

"Malachai shall receive all that's his proper due," Joshua said proudly, beaming at Kai and making his blood tingle with loathing. "The most important one being an alliance that is necessary between families in the coven, especially those in the position of leadership."

Wait-what? The hell did that mean?

"But, I get ahead of myself." Joshua reached out an arm to Liv. "First, let me declare to everyone that Olivia is by far the strongest female witch among my children."

Resentment from Rachel and Sue wafted like plumes of smoke. From Jo, nothing. Kai knew she never cared much about those things, and cared even less now that she had given up her powers. But her anger was clear; she hated when his father manipulated through favoritism, a tactic he continued to use on his adult children, with most of them still falling prey to it.

"To see her settling down with a normal human male was hard to accept. I apologize for my actions leading to this day." He took her hands. "I support you and your husband, Olivia, whatever you choose to do from now on." Then he laughed. "Unless it's against our coven laws, of course."

The crowd tittered.

Liv laughed too, then flashed a terrified glance towards Luke, and then Kai.

Yep, his father was the biggest asshole in the Pacific Southwest. Second only to Kai on a bad day.

Bonnie had been right. He really should've taken care of him years ago.

"Seeing my youngest child becoming a wife has put me in mind of things that I maybe pushed aside these last few years. You see, since Madeline died, I've felt...adrift. Empty."

That was because he had lost one of his reasons for living. Kai assumed hating his wife had been one of two things (hating him being the other) keeping his old man going, despite how far he'd fallen in life, after Kai's seventeenth birthday. But it was common knowledge among the coven elders why his father had never sought vengeance.

Joshua had been neutered, by the very person that he had spent years exerting dominance over. Because sometime before Kai turned seventeen, Madeline Parker had gotten her hands on a particular spell. He didn't know the specific details, but it resulted in a wonderful little hex. Joshua could no longer harm any of her children while she lived, or he risked losing his magic. As an added bonus, if he sought revenge against her, and she died as a direct result of his actions, he would lose his life.

In the end, his mother had had the final laugh, displaying the diabolical turn of her own mind, probably the result of decades of exposure to her husband.

The hex was simple and brilliant, and carried a dear price. Any type of hex did, because magic always sought balance. In return for partially depleting an ancient coven leader's vaunted powers, Madeline's days were numbered. Instead of growing to a ripe age, seeing the product of her time and effort-eight children-ending with cute little grandchildren who worshipped her in her gray-haired matriarchy, she only managed to eke out ten more years of her life, before fate came calling.

A sense of calm overtook Kai, then, his thoughts on the woman who had given birth to him, and then in the ensuing years following the manifestation of his siphoning powers, rarely showed him any kind of maternal favor that wasn't laced with poisonous fear and ill-concealed misgiving. He didn't like to excuse her, but she had married young, her identity sacrificed to a domineering man, and then overwhelmed by a brood of disparate, unruly kids, all eight of them. Who could blame her for losing herself?

At least she'd finally grown a backbone, that day she'd hexed his old man. And a pair of balls, too. Kai found endless amusement, watching Joshua Parker now, his disjointed aura struggling. He had powerful wards still protecting him, from casting done years ago in his prime. But the man's magic remained a hobbled thing, thanks to Madeline Parker.

She'd never known how far Kai had come, either, but he could laugh it off since, knowing his mother, she might've been horrified at some of the tactics his grandfather used to get him in line...

 _He celebrated his eighteenth birthday with a bottle of gin he'd picked up from a bodega and a small vial of coke, swiped from the in-house crime lab at the local precinct. Had to love these NYPD precincts; definitely much more contraband to be had than the selection offered from Portland suburbia. Or anywhere else, for that matter._

 _He and his grandfather were in Manhattan, because Theo wanted to take him to the top of the Empire State building. Kai had mentioned it recently, as one of the cities he'd longed to visit when he was a kid, because his mother had planned to take them when he was younger but because of Sue coming down with chicken pox, was forced to cancel the trip._

 _Kai had been lying, duh. He'd snuck out one weekend on his own, early on in high school, jaunting with stolen money all the way to the east coast just because he could. The Empire State building was one of his stops, and that one trip was enough. Too many tourists, too little gain. At fourteen, all he'd wanted to find out was how long it took to land, if someone got pushed from the top of the building. And how his brain might look splattered on the cement. But he remembered how much he liked the perspective from way up there, how you could see in all directions and plot a million ways to escape._

 _If they were in New York, he could ditch Theo's ass, no problem. JFK and La Guardia had hundreds of grounded planes. And Kai had just spent half a year learning how to pilot one._

 _It would be great._

 _He just needed to get through this trip to the fucking top of the boring ass skyscraper._

 _They trekked down Fifth Avenue, and between 33rd and 34th Street, found the entrance. Theo stepped inside and Kai trudged in, bored already as he took in the worn out lobby attempting to appear glossy and important. The elevator ride was quiet, except for muzak. He scowled at his grandfather's back, as the old man bobbed his head in time to the song._

 _Kai didn't think it was possible to hate anyone more than he did his father. Theo in the last couple months had proved him wrong._

 _When they got to the observation deck, Kai was ready to find the largest opening through which he might be able to push his grandfather. Unfortunately, there was none. There was the possibility of stealing his magic, and levitating him over the railings, but ultimately, that failed to motivate him. He liked getting his hands dirty. Pushing him the old-fashioned way just felt more right. Although it would buy him time-maybe a good half hour, at most, for his grandfather to shake off dying by way of splatter-brain on concrete-he wasn't quite ready to implement his plan._

 _And anyway, he needed to wait until he was closer to the airport to shake the old man off._

 _He walked several times around the deck, enjoying the view of a city known for its hustle and bustle, now seized in time, magically jacked into having to stop. It was nice, made him feel like a kingpin. But it sucked, too, because out there was a real New York that lived and breathed and shitted on its residents like normal. He'd prefer to be there, eating and sleeping and fucking around, maybe maiming and killing, also, like any normal eighteen year old depraved warlock._

 _Kai froze in his steps, then, and did a double take._

 _A pigeon was resting between one of the bars._

 _"Theo!" he called, trying not to be so loud he scared it off._

 _It was real, not a statue, its wings fluttering as its little stick legs made awkward movements to gain better footing on the rails. This was the first living thing he'd seen in this godforsaken world, outside of him and his grandfather._

 _Kai reached for it, and he couldn't honestly be sure if he wanted to keep it as a pet or torture it for a spot of good old fashioned violent fun. Maybe he could do both, with some borrowed magic._

 _"Shhh, little Tweetybird," he said softly._

 _He lunged-_

 _And he lost himself. His shoes were the first things he couldn't feel, then his hands. They were simply gone. Everything else felt wrong, and then his vision-why had the whole fucking world exploded and bled color? He was dizzy and lightheaded, and couldn't make anything out. Bands of color in a million shades filled his eyes, muting all his other senses._

 _"Kai."_

 _He turned, and saw color shifting towards him, forming into a familiar figure with a calm, lined face. His grandfather, except his deep, grumbling voice now sounded tinny, and instead of looking down on the old man from his six-foot height, now he had to look up, as if he'd shrunk to the size of-_

 _A goddamn bird._

 _He opened his mouth to scream 'What the fuck!?' and instead, what came out was-_

 _"Coo."_

 _His grandfather peered down closely at him, frowning._

 _"Kai, listen. You're ready for the next modality. Consider this lesson one."_

 _Kai tried to run, but tiny toothpick legs lost their footing, and he fell. He fucking fell, plummeting a hundred stories down to where a cold, gray sidewalk would greet him mercilessly. It wouldn't be fun, and he readied himself, eyes squeezing shut, hoping coming back to life wouldn't take too long as a bird._

 _Just seconds away from impact, an invisible force caught him abruptly, dragging him back up._

 _His grandfather's face gazed out between the railings._

 _"Walk a mile in their shoes. Your victims. Think what they think, feel what they feel. I told you, we had to work on that."_

 _Kai looked down at himself, the brown feathers sticking out and wings beating out. He screamed again, silently to himself this time, because he couldn't take hearing himself coo like a fucking defenseless piece of shit thing. A birdbrain._

 _"This is how you'll learn conscientiousness, Kai. We start you on the lower end of the food chain. You'll hate me for a while, but you'll understand. I have all the faith in the world in you."_

 _Kai was gonna fucking kill this old geezer. But first-first, he was going to get a laugh out of this dumb-as-shit approach. Kai beat his wings experimentally, and then soared, this time towards the observation deck. Relief surged over his tiny body, as he hovered over his grandfather._

 _"Coo," came the hated sound, as something wet, brown, and white plopped into Theo Parker's gray hair._

His grandfather had been right. Kai had hated him for a long time. After the bird had followed a rabbit, a snake, and then a pig, and goat, and so and so forth-mainly, the animals that he had killed from his father's sacrificial pens-until Kai wasn't sure anymore to what species he belonged. He'd liked being a snake, until he got into it with a damn hawk, and died. After that, his grandfather had been proved right again. A year or so of Theo randomly demoting him into lower-end living, finally achieved the desired result-Kai started sympathizing with these small, insignificant creatures. For the first time in his life, studying them not as things to be tortured in sport, or even just tolerated for mere companionship, but as fellow living beings that could probably understand, better than most people, that life sucked and was over far too damn quickly.

The sight of his father waving a hand in his direction broke through his reminiscing. Kai spent a moment imagining that Theo Parker stood in Joshua's place. One hard-hearted but weak-minded, the other probably the greatest mind ever to grace the coven, but in the end too frail of heart. How discomfiting, to be a witch, to have such hold over nature's powers, and still have to be at the mercy of time and entropy. Some witches delayed the aging process, but his grandfather wasn't an adherent of that practice. One of his few missteps, and the one that Kai regretted most. He should've cast the spell himself. Everyone would've been so much better off if his grandfather was still alive.

"I can say with honesty now, I'm ready," Joshua was saying. "After this event, we'll gather to make it official."

Kai listened with half an ear.

"My son, Malachai, will officially become coven leader at the next general assembly."

As if his head was stuffed with cotton, Kai tilted a gaze around at everyone, seeing haze and hearing the muffled din of voices suddenly breaking all at once into questions.

Joshua waved his arms to calm the group.

"None of that now. Later. Later, we'll have a lot more to celebrate. Since you know what this means." The older man grinned at Kai, and then back out to somewhere specific in the room, but he couldn't see exactly where. "We're going to need to pave new alliances to mark the end of my era, and the beginning of his."

While the room erupted into cheers, and some of his siblings stood from their seats to gather around him with beaming grins-Liv the first among them-Kai blinked, trying to make out what they were saying.

Everything in his mind had gone deathly quiet.

If this moment was the culmination of everything he'd once wanted, why did it seem like his father had just doused all of his thoughts with unspeakably cold water? Down to his bones, he felt chilled.

"Were you shocked into a stupor just now?" asked Jo, several moments later. Kai had let everyone filter out of the room, trying to get his head to adjust to this latest. Now he and Jo were the last ones left, and his twin was giving him her know-it-all look, the one he hated because roughly one hundred percent of the time, she did in fact know all there was about moments like these, when he was on the verge of shutting down.

"No," he said, standing. "Since I don't believe it."

"Why not?" Jo indicated around them. "He hasn't been giving you that much of a hard time this past year. Maybe Liv's wedding's the catalyst he needed to wake up and smell the coffee. His time is over."

As they walked side by side out of the room, he could feel his sister's sharp eyes on his. He wasn't a fan of Jo's stares. She was a doctor, and every time she got it in her head to turn her focus on you, it was like she actually used those damn scalpels to poke and prod until she got the answers she needed. She'd been like that since they were kids, and she'd finally figured out that she had powers, which meant she didn't need her twin brother anymore to fight her battles. Because as a child, bullies loved Jo like cats loved mice. They forever took turns terrorizing her since she didn't understand how to be cruel back. When they were smaller, he'd tried teaching her and then got disgusted because she was slow. Or stubborn.

But then she'd gotten her powers, and then the bullies pissed their pants. And funny enough, that was right around the time that Kai _didn't_ get his powers-or got the wrong one, the siphoning which was not only not good enough, but actually the anti-thesis of being a witch, according to his father. And the bullies found a new target. Except they reckoned wrong with Kai-bullies could never faze a monster-in-training.

"I think you just don't want to believe it."

He snorted. "You're an internist, not a shrink. Go point your psychobabble dabble somewhere else."

"I'm not wrong."

"Always. Like really, look at the guys you date."

"That's different, that's just a dwindling gene pool. Anyway, I wasn't wrong when you came back, and I gave you my magic," she added, the picture of composure. "I knew it was time, then. That it was your turn."

He stopped short. "How'd you know? Maggie? Or did your buddy Sheila Bennett warn you years ago, ahead of time, not to fight me when the time came so that you'd live?"

"You really need to let it go with Sheila. She's been dead a while. Don't want her haunting your ass, do you?"

God forbid. Wouldn't that be the icing on the cake? The grandmother of the woman he was probably fixated on for the rest of his life, haunting him. But he blinked, as his mind over his twin's words. "Hey, um, when you knew her, did you ever meet any of her family?"

She furrowed her brows in thought. "Once or twice. She had a son-in-law. Single dad. Cute little granddaughter, too. Why?"

"No reason. Just was dwelling on near-extinct witch lines the other day. The thought came up. Good riddance, anyway, huh?"

His sister shook her head. "You didn't know her, Kai. She was a good woman."

"Oh, sure," he said breezily. "Clearly she was all heart. I could totally look past her attempts to magically lobotomize me to normal thinking. She did it out of kindness."

"I don't think they gave us the whole story there."

"Doesn't matter, anyway, Jo. Glad she's dead." But he said it feebly, thinking of Bonnie, younger and with her face tear-streaked, holding the old woman's stiff-looking hands in that little room.

Jo snickered. "Kai, please. Your tactics don't work on me. That sounded half-assed, like you could barely work up the energy for your usual Bennett hate."

Likely because he was currently seized by unhealthy Bennett lust.

Jo's frown grew more pronounced. "Something's really wrong with you."

"Yep," he said evenly. "This whole wedding. I'm thinking we need to cut it down to a one-day event, if the day ever arrives that you rope some poor schmuck into this."

"I'm thinking you don't have to worry. I'd rather stay single than get roped in myself." She exhaled quickly, then squared her shoulders. "So I'm your twin, right? Which means I get to say things to you that nobody else will."

He had to laugh a little at that, because while that was true when Friday ended, once Saturday rolled around, it no longer held up. Not since Bonnie Bennett had crossed his path.

"You wondered how I knew it was your turn to use magic? You came to me, and _asked_ for it. That's the difference, Kai. You at seventeen, you never asked, it never crossed your mind. You either waited around til one of us was in the right mood and then you manipulated us into feeling bad enough to offer you a drag of power. Or you ripped it out of us."

Jo rested her hands on his shoulders, her eyes-a deeper, much more striking blue than his own-serious and concerned, as she looked up at him. "And that's the difference now between you and our father. You ask for input. From the elders, from us." She shrugged. "You can do this, little brother. _It's your turn._ "

And with that, she turned and began walking efficiently away, like she was off to do her rounds.

"Anyway, what was it you used to tell me when we were younger?" she asked over her shoulder, still walking away.

Ha. He smiled, remembering.

"Oh, yeah. Don't be such a chicken shit!"

* * *

The long walkway attached the main area of the lodge to the large banquet hall. It wasn't a room she'd yet seen, but she'd heard others calling it the ballroom, which struck her as odd, that a lodge resort would be in possession of one. As she and her friends passed through enormous oak double doors framed by a large arch, she realized the description suited.

Following the rustic setting, dark wood gleamed from above and below, wooden beams crisscrossing the two-storey ceilings to match the floors. Arches with wood engravings lined the hall on all sides, pairing rustic trim with Romanesque architecture, while Victorian style cast-iron lamps dotted the columns of the arches, complementing the trio of oversized scrollwork chandeliers overhead. Along three sides of the hall were unbroken views of the gardens, through tall floor to ceiling windows, with a pair of French doors on opposite ends leading outside. A spiral wooden staircase with iron railings at one end led to the upstairs mini-promenade, similarly railed, providing a panoramic view of the hall, with a pair of overhanging balconies on two sides.

Circular tables were draped in black silk, and on the backs of the accompanying wooden chairs were hung smaller rattan wreaths dotted with flowers, with a matching floral arrangement dressing the center of each table, held within a small statue. A collection of long-stemmed champaign flutes were already served with everyone's place cards. The tables were arranged in rows on both ends of the hall, framing the middle area of the hall which remained empty, and a long raised dais at the far end, that signaled the seats of importance.

That was where she guessed the Parkers would sit, nine empty chairs lying in wait. The circular tables nearest to them, similarly empty, were probably reserved for extended members of the families, as well as elders and other important families from the coven. She caught a few younger children, including Rachel Parker's twin boys, seated in mini tables off towards one corner, with several adults supervising. Staff members moved amongst the crowd of people, most of them now seated, ushering a few more to their tables. A few of the staff had started circulating with trays of drinks.

Magic was being used more sparingly here, in the strands that weaved along the arches, and the iron railings. The middle of the floor appeared to be framed in it as well, small interweaving circles glowing softly against the dark wood grain.

Meanwhile, power skimmed all around the hall, excitement and anticipation mingled with nervousness. Joshua's unexpected presence seemed to have been absorbed enough that the collective coven auras had simmered down from edgy. A few more couples trickled in, and then music filtered through the air, from the small orchestra set up at one end of the balconies on the second level.

One of the staff moved forward then, to guide her and her friends. She was relieved to find that their table was off to the far end, nearest to one of the French doors even, and partially obscured by one of the arches. A load of unease lifted off her shoulders as she sat, throwing a hesitant smile at her friends, who looked at her quizzically.

"Best seats ever," she whispered, tossing her head back at the doors behind them.

Caroline laughed at her. "Oh, Bonnie. You and your pathological need to blend into the background."

Matt pursed his mouth thoughtfully. "It's smart, especially now that we've got eyes all over us."

Tyler walked in just then, glanced over, and made a beeline to their table.

"Drinking that?" he asked Caroline, pointing to her untouched flute and then scooping it up to down it in one gulp before she'd even answered.

Caroline blinked. "I guess not."

"Sorry." Then he moved to Bonnie's, but she snatched hers away and tipped the glass into her mouth, smiling after she, too, emptied her flute.

Tyler snorted. "Good to see I'm not the only one needing it."

She was sore somewhere, not just in her gut but also in her brain, so she clutched at this interruption. "Hanging in there?" she asked Tyler.

"Yeah, but I could do without all this damn stress." Then he smiled sheepishly. "You guys, too, I guess. Sorry."

"How's it feel to be a married man?" Caroline asked, trying to lighten the mood.

He laughed ruefully. "So far not any different from being an engaged man. I mean I don't love Liv any differently. But, um, she seems to want to kill me more."

They all shared a chuckle, before Tyler's face grew pensive. "Kai said he was going to get back up there to fix that damn doll. That made me worried. If he thinks we'll still need it, I mean." He looked around the room. "Guess it's too much to hope that nothing else bad can happen."

"That's a dying hope, Ty," Matt said, sighing as he filled him in.

Tyler's face by degrees grew more alarmed, especially when Caroline brought out her phone to show him the still image of their unknown spy. "It just doesn't let up, does it?" he said, tension growing in the line of his shoulders.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask," Bonnie said, not only to distract him from worrying but also because she was really curious. "How does that doll work? Liv didn't give me all the details of the spell."

Tyler started fidgeting. "I have to leave a part of myself on it so Liv can animate it with a glamour, and then," he broke off, running a hand through his hair. "Then I have to...kind of...wear it. It's weird."

"When you say leave a part of yourself..." Matt trailed off, looking sort of horrified.

Bonnie's eyes widened as she took in his meaning, exactly the same moment Caroline did, and she saw that her friend's face looked as awkward as hers, as they both turned to Tyler. Who just frowned, still confused.

"What're you," then his eyes went wide, and his face grossed out. "No! No! What the hell? No. A piece of my hair, that's what I leave with the stupid doll. Eargh." He shuddered. "Thanks for the visual trauma, bro."

Matt gave him an apologetic shrug.

"So you wear it, how?" Bonnie pressed, although she could guess where he was going.

"I have to be the doll for a little bit, Liv says so it can imprint."

"You transfer your consciousness?"

"Right. That."

Bonnie nodded, a familiar feeling of envy settling over her at the thought of all the technique and know-how Liv, and Kai, and all the rest of the Parkers must have picked up throughout all these years. Kai didn't even have regular magic until adulthood and yet he was powerful and talented, creative with his practice in ways that she had never encountered before, at least not in anyone below the age of sixty. And Liv wasn't far behind. The few other covens she had run into, far smaller than the Geminis, were secretive and secluded, mostly comprised of older witches who for the most part weren't flashy about their skill. And while she liked that, would prefer to adopt that kind of subdued approach if hell froze over and she ever decided to join a coven-still, she couldn't help but see the benefit of growing up as a Gemini witch. Two thousand years of weathering supernatural storms, and they had possibly earned the right to flaunt it. Maybe just a little.

She was a Bennett with vampires as her closest friends and allies. Even if she didn't agree with some of their viewpoints and hated a lot of their practices, in other ways, it was possible she wasn't in much of a position to judge this coven.

Briefly, she pondered how her life might have turned out, fostered in such an environment with powerful witches to mentor her, and a brood of siblings and friends to practice with. Maybe at fifteen, she might have been strong enough to open the tomb on her own, and her Grams would still be alive. Or at seventeen, she could've found a way to keep her mother from getting involved with the Mikaelsons, and Abby Bennett would still be a human. Or at eighteen, having the power to keep Jeremy from ever dying, avoiding her own death in the process, as well as her father's, because if she'd never died, her magic could have saved him from Silas.

So many damn maybes and almost futures, all lost to her. A quick fleeting memory of a few of the happier visions from Maggie slid through her mind, and she wondered if, in one of those worlds where she and Kai were relatively okay together, her other loved ones were alive and well.

Was it possible to even maybe take a quick trip to those worlds? The thought held appeal. And danger. What if she didn't want to come back to her own?

"You okay?" Caroline asked.

Bonnie smiled, tipping the rest of her glass back, and pretended that liquor was what caused her eyes to water slightly.

"Ugh," she said. "I better slow down. I'm gonna end up being that girl. The one who gets drunk at a wedding and shows up on the video puking in the corner."

Just as she made that comment, a familiar uncomfortable pinprick settled along her skin, of being observed from a distance. Her magic stirred from the nagging sensation, intuition telling her that whomever it was, meant harm. Of that she had no doubt. Her brain offered a flash of the hazy, unknown figure standing between the redwoods.

She didn't bother glancing around; nobody was going to miraculously jump out from behind a corner and turn themselves in. However, a quick look around showed various people milling, some in their seats, others at the bar in the far end of the room.

"Bonnie, I don't like that look you're wearing," asked Matt. "Is your spidey sense tingling again?"

She gave him a shrug, sipping her drink casually. "Matt, you might've had the right idea."

"About?"

She lifted a brow. "Me being bait."

Caroline's eyes suddenly lit up with comprehension. "Bonnie," she said warningly. "Don't even think about it. If Kai catches you-"

"Care, do me a favor and don't finish that sentence. Kai isn't my boss or my husband. I don't answer to him." She gave them all a pointed glance. "Can't say the same for the rest of you, since you all caved to him on the phone, which I'm not even going to get into what happened there."

Tyler looked at Bonnie. "I'm not any more thrilled about it, but maybe he should call the shots here. He knows his father and this coven, better than any of us."

Bonnie fought a snort of disdain. Knowing them wasn't going to help. So far at every turn she and her friends had been the ones playing defense lately; maybe now it was time to throw people off balance. Just then she spied a few coven members start to trickle in. The meeting must have ended. She saw Fiona and Noah Vansel arriving together, and then part ways, Fiona heading straight for one of the tables near the middle dais, and Noah turning around the way he came, as if he'd forgotten something.

Tyler's phone buzzed then. He read the screen, then said, "Gotta go, guys. Liv's waiting. I'll be back, they're gonna announce us officially or something. I don't know." He sighed. "All this back and forth sucks. I hope I don't ever get married again."

 _You and me both_ , Bonnie thought morosely.

As he disappeared through the arches, he passed by the rest of the Parker clan and coven members. Tyler nodded swiftly to them and then awkwardly fielded their polite greetings. Poor guy; she didn't want to be in his shoes, having to try to fit into that family in the near future. Kai and Liv were the only ones missing now, as the witches all filed into place, settling into their seats. Joshua was beaming at everyone and everything, appearing more energized.

Bonnie wished she'd been a fly on the wall for that meeting, then had the stray thought that there was probably a spell for that. And Kai had probably memorized it, she thought with sarcasm.

The thought bugged her, made her restless. The waiter passed by, replacing her wineglass again, and Bonnie eyed it, considering taking another tumble towards the slight oblivion alcohol would offer.

"What're you thinking?" Caroline said.

Certainly not of Kai, she wanted to say proudly. But that was a lie, so instead she said, "I was thinking of following Noah. He just vamoosed out. Acting shady, that one."

"Bonnie Bennett, we're not going to let you run around taking all the risks. Especially since your new-"

Bonnie shot her a withering glare, daring her to use the word that she suspected was on the tip of her friend's tongue.

" _Kai_...will probably get all grouchy about it."

Matt didn't look convinced. "What's this about Noah?" he asked. "The guy seemed okay. Not as much of a prick as the others."

She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was definitely something up with the younger Vansel.

"But, it wouldn't hurt to put out a couple nets," Matt said. "Caroline, you should be the one tracking Noah. I can do the sweep on my own."

Caroline still looked nervous, as Bonnie asked, "What about me?"

Matt had his phone out, busy sending a text. "What do you think? Bait."

His phone buzzed quickly back.

"Matt," Caroline hissed. "We're not letting her-"

"Yeah, I know. We're not letting her be bait, at least not by herself."

Bonnie frowned, taking another sip.

"I mean, if you think about it, the best thing we could do is have Kai in on it, too."

She sputtered out her drink. "What?!"

"Since it was you two hanging around together, attracting all that attention."

"We weren't," she muttered, grabbing a napkin to wipe up the little mess she'd made, and trying not to feel offended. Her friends made it seem like she and Kai were mooning over each other. "Most of it centered on his paranoia that I was out to mess with the coven. And other times it was just random. We never _hung around_."

Except in her head, and he'd taken her by surprise with that one. And maybe also breakfast. Also the time in Liv's suite, when-Bonnie cut her musings short, feeling her face warm.

"Don't be like that," Caroline said. "Low-key. That was the operative word. Now that you two have been caught getting chummy, you might as well play it up. What Matt's saying makes sense."

Matt shrugged. "I'm not just a pretty face." His casual glance took in the room. "Okay, let's dig into this. Hypothetically, that's the reason we're drawing extra heat, because of you two. But why?"

Caroline smiled with sharp teeth, swishing her wineglass as people walked past. "Easy. Exploit one to get to the other. Someone wants something out of the future coven leader, or out of our resident wonder witch. Evil villain lesson one, we learned that in high school. Discover weakness, what connects people."

"We're allies, that's the connection," Bonnie said calmly.

But just right then, she sensed it. The forceful beat of his magic signaling his approach. He didn't usually emit like this, so maybe it was for show, for his coven. Exactly. He was broadcasting loudly, so no connection outside of the typical one that existed between witches who could sense each other, she had to insist on that for her own benefit despite all clues to the contrary, despite that stupid lightness that hit her somewhere in the area of her lungs and stomach. None of it meant anything. Other witches felt him, too. She looked to the raised dais and the surrounding tables, found Joshua, several elders, Fiona, and the other woman-Alanis, Bonnie recalled-all eyeing the arch through which she and her friends had entered.

Kai strode through it seconds later. Bonnie tore her eyes away because his gaze had unerringly found her table and sought her out.

What was it he'd said about exercising the use of his brain? He must've forgotten, or simply didn't bother to apply it to himself. All the tension came rushing back to her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, raise your glasses and give a round of applause to our newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Lockwood!"

She and her friends lifted their wineglasses, cheering with the crowd as Tyler and Liv walked in hand-in-hand, smiling and appearing nothing at all like they'd just tussled over a sex-doll stand not twenty minutes ago.

Ha. They were all turning into fantastic actors.

Bonnie smiled as she sipped, casting a look from the corner of her eye at the long table and seeing Kai there, his jacketed arm raised in salute. He and his father were on opposite sides, serving as bookends to the newlyweds, Kai next to Tyler, and his father next to Liv. It was jarring to feel relief that he was the one next to the werewolf. What a dramatic change from mere hours ago. He was no longer focused on her corner, but smirking and totally at ease, as one of his siblings leaned over to whisper something and mirth lit up his face.

His smile. Ugh. Bonnie took a larger sip, and then didn't stop. A passing waiter appeared quickly, retrieving her empty glass and offering a new one.

"Oh, um-" she started declining, but then-it wouldn't hurt, right? She could stand to dull some of the edge she had been under all weekend right then, because the reception had just started, and she could spell away the effects of liquor soon enough, before Joshua pulled his next stunt. And yet, their luck so far hadn't held up too well, and what if she was too drunk at the wrong moment-

"Go ahead," Matt said, breaking into her thoughts and throwing her and Caroline both a secret smile. "Let loose."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes, then looked to Caroline, who was also eyeing Matt with a frown. Matt Donovan giving the all-clear for her to get shit-faced, when she needed to be at her most level-headed? She was missing a big chunk of the equation here.

At the same moment that Caroline's face cleared, Bonnie felt hers doing the same.

 _Bait._

If it looked like she was hitting the wine a little too hard, it might encourage the unknown observer to get sloppy enough to catch. Whomever it was, couldn't possibly yet know that Bonnie had the means to avoid a hangover.

The waiter was still hesitating, his hand hovering near her with the new glass. "Thanks," she said, and he dropped it gracefully before her.

She was going to enjoy this new scheme. Well, she would, if Matt didn't keep checking his texts so damn much. She had a sinking feeling she knew exactly who was texting him back.

Again from her peripheral vision, she caught Alanis slinking towards the dais, her hand resting on Kai's chair, as she gave a genuine smile to his sisters and they all greeted her with obvious warmth. Eat your heart out, Fiona, Bonnie thought, glancing to the blonde sitting nearby, her face pinched.

Then Alanis's hand rested on Kai's shoulder, but his face was turned down, like he was looking at something on his lap, hidden from view. When Alanis's head came near his ear, he turned his face up to the woman with a lazy grin, as his hand slipped whatever he'd been eyeing moments before into his jacket pocket. Bonnie caught a glimpse of it before it disappeared from view.

His damn phone.

Glaring at Matt, whose own phone was once again buzzing, Bonnie tipped back her newly-filled glass, the corner of her lips lifting in approval when the waiter reappeared. He winked at her charmingly as he replaced her drink once again.

"Um, Bon?" Matt asked doubtfully, as Caroline's eyes gleamed with sympathy. "You do realize it's a fake out, right?"

"Of course," Bonnie replied, her tone acid. "But let me have a good run for ten minutes, killjoy."

"Well, listen, don't go overboard. After they do the reception line, they'll go full swing into cocktail hour. We've all got jobs to do, so let's make the most of that time."

With great reluctance, she asked, "And what exactly is my job?"

He held out his phone, showing her the most recent text exchange.

 _new plan. you+bonnie = bait._

 _fine. tell her to meet me after the receiving line._

 _where?_

 _supply closet._

Reading the lines, Bonnie choked on her latest sip, but managed to avoid spitting anything out. Great. Sophistication and composure, had she forgotten to pack those? Oh, right. There hadn't been enough room in her bags, what with her grimoires and mystical supplies and sturdy undergarments-like Caroline had suspected-to wear for battle.

"When the hell did you get his number?" she demanded.

"Yesterday." He shrugged. "I'm part of the wedding party, and Kai had all of us put our contact info down on this sheet while giving us his. I memorized it after he joined the gang."

Damn Kai and his organization skills and Matt being such an annoying boyscout.

Bonnie gritted her teeth. A supply closet, really? She cast a murderous glance over to the middle dais. And wasn't at all surprised to find, even with his father just feet away, and his undisclosed girlfriend hovering over his shoulder, that Kai was meeting her gaze across the room, the corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile while he inconspicuously tipped his flute towards her, and winked.

Bonnie gulped the rest of her glass down brazenly, her eyes tracking down another waiter veering nearby.

Ten minutes later, she was regretting her lapse in judgment because her bladder was ready to explode, with her head not far behind. With slightly unsteady legs, she left the hall. A small part of her hoped she would run into Joshua Parker just then. If she managed to hex him or magick his ass away to the vast frozen tundra of anywhere in Antarctica, at least she could blame it on the liquor. Nobody would be too upset. A larger part of her hoped more fervently that she _wouldn't_ run into his eldest son. Her inhibitions were seriously compromised just now, and if she ran into Kai and he so much as smirked in her direction, she would drop her panties so fast even Caroline would be appalled.

She made her way into the women's restrooms. It was clean and quiet and not a bad place for the stumbling drunks to find a little peace and quiet while emptying their overloaded bladders. Then again, this was a Gemini venue; of course the bathroom would be upscale and tidy and free from all the worries that other bathrooms had, like dirtiness and odors and lines of people.

She was in a stall, blinking through foggy thoughts when she heard the door open. The thought crossed her mind that Caroline had followed her in, which wasn't part of the plan at all, and she almost opened her mouth to kick her friend out.

But no footsteps sounded.

She closed her eyes in disbelief. _Really, now?_ she had to ask the ceiling.

Absolute quiet took over the restroom. Her magic caught the faintest hint of something in the air, but in her slight stupor struggled to place it. It was definitely unnatural, something rotten and decayed and slightly burnt, like how roadkill might become if it roasted too long under the sun. Except it wasn't a smell, but a magical signature, and very much trying to remain hidden.

A rasp sounded out suddenly. Bonnie stilled, but then realized that would give her away, so she bumbled in the stall as she finished.

"No more drinks, girl," she muttered to herself, slurring her words extra.

She braced herself as she opened the stall, but nothing except a clean, crisp bathroom wall stared back at her. Clumsily, she went to the sink and stared at herself in the mirror, slapping her cheeks and making a show of clearing her head. Mentally, though, she had started chanting.

 _Tergum ut normalis._

Instantly, her mind cleared.

The air near her felt thicker then, and the hair on her neck and arms stood to attention. She could almost touch it, was sure if she reached out a hand she would encounter something-or someone. If this was a scary movie, when she looked in the mirror she would see a sunken specter with bloodless eyes hovering over her shoulder.

Clenching her teeth, Bonnie washed her hands and continued mumbling nonsense under her breath.

With feigned unsteadiness, she stumbled out the door. Instead of going back towards the reception hall, though, she reached into her wristlet and pulled out her phone, concentrating hard as her clumsy fingers punched the screen. Her wobbly feet made their way to a side exit that led to a more secluded part of the gardens.

When the door slid shut behind her, she faced the muted colors of twilight overlooking the empty grounds. Silence reigned here as well; if anyone were to scream, there was little chance of others hearing, not with the reception in full swing at the hall and most of the staff there attending.

Bonnie's skin grew cold and clammy, as the unnatural magic around her intensified. Whoever or whatever was shadowing her, it wasn't anything she had encountered before.

She was tripping over to the side of the building with no windows, pretending to make a call, when she felt a huff of breath against her skin, slow and rancid. Lightning quick, it was followed by a pricking sensation, a pinpoint acute pain that Bonnie knew from those times she had been sick, and large-bore needles punctured her skin. She blinked, looking down, and saw red blooming on the side of her waist, near her left hip, felt something tear. She grabbed at her side, grimacing as she mentally cast a cloaking ward around the area.

Her magic soared out, aiming directly for the disturbance in the air near her. With invisible fingers, she reached out and pulled hard at the unseen mass, squeezing. Pain blossomed from where she'd been stabbed, and she struggled to keep a hold as whatever it was, fought her wildly. She felt something slip from her grasp-tiny, almost unnoticeable, but something her magic recognized as her own. It was gone, blinked out of thin air, she could tell.

"Caroline!" she cried, because she was about to lose her hold on the other thing struggling against her.

Her friend zipped out from behind one of the trees. "Where is it?" the blonde vampire cried.

" _Revelare_ ," Bonnie whispered, then fell to her knees. She looked up, panting from the effort.

The figure of a woman suddenly appeared before them, but she looked far from human. Lifeless yellow eyes stared out, black tendrils trailing out from the edges of her pupils. Stringy hair, gray face blank, with skin that seemed to barely cling to her bones, her spotted teeth with jagged edges baring out in warning was the only thing about her that was animated.

"What the hell are you?" Caroline asked, in disgust, punching the creature and heaving it against the wall.

Bones cracked, but the creature made no sound at all, as it waved a hand and Caroline went flying. It turned back to Bonnie, as she crouched on the floor, grimacing.

Matt was already running towards them, coming from behind the creature, but Bonnie gave no hint that he was there, allowing fear to play across her face as she found herself caught in a motus spell. She narrowed her gaze to counter, felt herself dropping free, and then held out a hand to form a quick, upturned fist, the ground beneath the creature rising up, grass and earth forming a thick, heavy barricade to trap it in its place. But the damn thing was breaking free. It was _strong_. A buzzing shot rang out as Matt's taser gun found its target. The creature jolted, dropping to the floor and seizing there as fifty thousand volts shot through her form. Matt ended the surge and Bonnie closed her eyes in concentration, the effects of her mental sleeping spell taking hold of the creature.

Caroline blurred back to them, moving with cautious steps towards it. Matt's hands went to its face, but Bonnie cried, "Don't touch it!"

Her friends backed away, as she held out a hand and strands of her magic weaved over the woman's lids, lifting them, causing Caroline to flinch back. The woman's eyes were still bleeding yellow light, the black slivers starting to recede. Bonnie released her lids, and they dropped down, as the creature slept eerily silent, hardly even breathing.

"Dark magic," Bonnie said in a strangled voice. "Her eyes, that's a sign she's being controlled."

"So she's alive?" Matt asked.

Caroline nodded. "Has a heartbeat, but...just barely. Smells awful, but not dead. Dead is different, it's rotten, but mainly, it's missing a lot of components that make up what normal living people smell like. This one," she let out a disturbed shudder. "Rotten, too, but it's like a...science experiment or something. Just _way_ too many things going on here."

That would be the black arts. Someone had done a number on this girl.

Bonnie slowly got to her feet, Caroline making a move to bite into her wrist to offer her blood, but she shook her head. Too weak to draw from herself, she walked out towards the gardens, splaying her fingers out to cut a pentagram circle into the grass. Channeling nature, she cast a ring of fire on the edges of the circle, chanting a combination healing and protection spell. As she felt its effects, she lifted the fabric of her dress away from when her closing wound. The spot of blood on her dress was tiny, barely noticeable, and could be disguised as a wine stain so she didn't bother fixing it. With another wave of her hand, the fire and the circle disappeared, grass growing back to normal, as she stepped back to her friends.

"Shit," she said, mad at herself.

"Are you all right?" Caroline asked.

She nodded. Then shook her head, a frustrated sigh escaping her. "Worst bait ever."

"Bonnie," Matt said incredulously. "You said you needed to pee, were you lying just to play bait without Kai?"

"No, I really had to go, but this tells you how bad of a job I would do as bait. I messed up."

"Aren't you glad we insisted we follow you everywhere?" Caroline said.

"How do you figure that you messed up?" Matt asked. "From where I'm standing, we caught her."

Whoever it was, going by her clothes, she seemed young, Bonnie suspected.

"This isn't the spy," she said. "She's just someone's goon. A magically warped, sick goon."

As soon as she said that, the girl before them began to smoke. Bonnie cried out in protest, her hand going out to keep her from burning, the air above the girl condensing to form clouds to shoot out a torrent of rain, but her magic faltered, not sensing any fire. It was merely a fog. "No!" she shouted, realizing her mistake, but before she could counter it, the woman disappeared.

"Dammit!" Bonnie's hands clenched up and her magic tore out of her frame in frustration, a wave of power rattling the building and crumpling the nearby iron benches beyond recognition.

Her friends stared at her in shock and dismay, 'shit, what now?' emanating from their expressions.

And they didn't even know the worst part of her bungle. Whoever was pulling the strings, now had Bonnie's blood.

* * *

After a whispered discussion with the banquet manager and the wedding planner, Liv and Tyler stood, followed by everyone else at the table.

Kai had been downing his second glass, waiting for the chilled wine to cool his temper, and didn't bother trying to keep up with the conversation around him after the first few minutes. He was too damn busy trying to avoid watching Bonnie at her table, as the fucking waiter flirted with her. And she didn't seem to realize. It would've been funny, if he wasn't currently entertaining thoughts of flicking his magic out to wipe off the smarmy grin the man was wearing as he continued replacing Bonnie's wineglasses and using the opportunity to leer down at her chest. Kai's fingers twitched to do the spell. Let the bastard spend the rest of the night being the freakshow no-mouth winebearer. Although Liv and the others probably wouldn't be too happy. Or Bonnie.

And who would've known, the woman could drink like a fish? He couldn't wait to goad her about that, once he had her alone in the supply closet. His groin twitched at the thought, but he mustered it back into calm. He had no intention of staying in that closet for longer than five seconds with Bonnie. It was just their decoy.

Rachel looked back. "Receiving line?" she said impatiently, when he didn't move to join everyone.

He bit back a sigh, and rolled his eyes as he stood.

They all stepped around the dais, Liv and Tyler heading the formal line, followed by his father, then him, and then in chronological order all his siblings. Table by table, guests came up, wineglasses in hand, some of them already slurring their greeting and congratulations. It seemed endless, and he couldn't help thinking that maybe there were far too many unnecessary guests here. Members of rival covens, obscure ones, up-and-coming, even those without coven membership were here, seeking entry into the Geminis through the use of archaic standards like tournaments. A few humans made it down every so often, co-workers and neighbors, old classmates. Most of them people who really didn't seem to know Liv well, or Tyler at all. But Joshua Parker, of course, seemed to be able to put a name to every face. That was worrying to him, especially when he thought of Bonnie and her friends.

Kai checked to see if she was among those waiting in line, saw with disappointment that of course he wouldn't be so lucky, but then grew concerned when he found that her table was empty. Where the hell did they go?

He couldn't pull out his phone to text Matt, either. Damn.

While his father soaked up the attention at the receiving line, every compliment he received slowly puffing back up some of that pomposity that had faded out recently, Liv and Tyler continued playing their roles well. They were good, Kai had to give them that. It almost made him forget the scene he'd walked into earlier in his sister's suite, of the pair fighting over an inflatable man doll, and Tyler jumping over his new bride using his hidden wolf agility, while she clawed at his shoes to stop him from popping the ill-used sex toy. Seriously, they deserved each other.

Actually, Kai was pretty sure the memory would come back to haunt him in a nightmare or two. He spared them a glare, and then quickly hid it, noticing that the next people waiting for their moment on the receiving line were the Cruxes. Seeing Alanis made him remember the phone call with Bonnie, setting his teeth on edge and blurring the edges of his vision in shades of red.

But why was he even surprised at Bonnie's attempt to cut strings? Sainted Bonnie Bennett, deciding what was or wasn't good for people. "We know better," wasn't that their family motto? Or should have been?

Damn Bennetts.

"Hey stranger," Alanis said lightly, her face wearing an open, friendly expression with just the slightest hint of flirty. She was adept at this. She'd definitely make a good coven wife. And he wanted nothing that she could offer.

Damn Bonnie.

But this was how he coped, so he answered easily back, falling into the familiar pattern of coaxing a woman to give up her smiles.

Halfway through the banter, he abruptly took in the sense of being watched, and his gaze went around the room, automatically seeking Bonnie, beyond glad when he found her, standing with her friends near the end of the receiving line. She seemed preoccupied, her face a little dazed. Caroline stood next to her, and Matt behind them. It was Matt who'd triggered his feeling of being observed, the look on the other man's face grave and full of unease. Shit. Had something else happened, because what the hell could it be now?

Bonnie's head was slightly bowed, she seemed to be leaning into someone, trying to listen better by tilting her ear, but he couldn't make out who was talking to her because a line of bodies hid her companion. Meanwhile Caroline seemed to be making a reply, chatting animatedly, while Bonnie just smiled then, in a wan sort of way that made her look sleepy.

The urge to take her somewhere far away overcame him violently just then-like him, she probably needed to catch up on serious rest. Why not do it together? And follow it up with a round of intense sex.

He almost sighed in happiness at the thought.

Then the line of bodies shifted, and he caught a glimpse of the person standing before the two women. He saw a tall man, blond and familiar-Noah. Fucking. Vansel.

The red haze framing his vision exploded, coloring his entire world in scarlet.

Kai's power shot out in a rapid pulse of anger. The room rattled and shook, lights flickering off and back on. He clenched a fist and tightened his control.

His entire family gave him a look of shock. A few coven elders did likewise, but theirs seemed tempered with speculation. They were reading into the lapse the way they did every one of his actions-that it was another power play on his part, in the game of witchy thrones with his father as adversary. Joshua's face stood out, his look grim and questioning, because the older man had just announced resigning his post so what Kai had just done was overkill. If it was meant to be a message for his father.

 _No, asshole, it's not about you._

All it was, really, had been an effort to keep himself from magically maiming the guy talking to Bonnie. Even though he was also including another woman in the discussion, so it didn't appear like Noah was actually making any advances, to either women. More than likely, he was just being polite company. But that didn't fucking matter.

Jealousy and sociopaths, even the huggable ones, were never a good mix, or so he'd read. Sure, growing up, he'd known envy; how could he not, having the simple affection of his parents withheld from him, while witnessing it bestowed on a regular basis upon all his siblings instead? Joshua had rubbed it in. Envy had quickly molded with fury, all day, every day. The quiet kind, that festered and grew yellow pus, seeping through his skin and deeper tissues until he woke up one day and knew, just knew, with a smile, that every part of him was rotten to the core.

That kind of jealousy he could handle.

This one-there was no quiet to it, no time to even feel it grow and change him, marking him as infected. It didn't prod him towards becoming someone new, and more, and better in all the ways of malice. No, this jealousy was all greed. Simple. Hollow. It invaded his blood vessels and his bones, stripped them away like something alien was eating him up from inside out, until soon there would be nothing left of him. It made him desperate, that he would be devoured into non-existence, and all he wanted was to trigger an explosion from deep inside so he could cast the flesh-and-bone eating alien out of his body.

He knew how to control this. This was something he'd prepped for. A million and one books on coping mechanisms had not been wasted in that pocket dimension, not with Theo Parker running the show. Typical male sociopaths fixated on women, had been the constant warning. They liked women and they liked control, which is why Kai had made it a point to never get attached to them and vice versa. Sex kept it loose and level, and for the last twenty-years of his life, had worked wonders for him. Yes, he was well equipped with tips and tricks on how to handle the green-eyed monster.

But goddamn if Kai could remember any of them now.

For God's sake, he and Bonnie hadn't even had sex yet.

His mind raged at the deprivation.

Alanis put her hand out, lightly touching his own. He clenched his jaw, looking down at her intrusive touch, recalling that Bonnie had done much the same and that the word intrusive had never crossed his mind. When Bonnie did it, it felt like a lifejacket, and he definitely didn't have the urge to recoil from her, the way he did with Alanis.

But he didn't want to hurt this poor girl's feelings. More pressingly, he didn't want to get hexed by her mother.

Kai patted her hand gently, trying to subtly pull free. "I'm fine. Just tired."

She squeezed and brought both their joined hands up in what she probably thought was a helpful, sweet show of support.

Kai glanced away, not paying attention as she talked-because Bonnie was looking at him just then.

 _Damn fucking shit for luck goddammit._

Her eyes took everything in, he knew this, from how close Alanis had leaned towards him, and their joined hands, and probably she could even read the coven witch's lips. He wouldn't put it past Bonnie to know how to read lips. Maybe he could get her to tell him later what Alanis was saying because he had absolutely tuned the other woman out.

He was waiting for her to look enraged, wanted to see jealousy written across her own features but that was expecting far too much from his beautiful, lunatic saint. Instead, she gave him a small smile, one that even reached her eyes. Probably even making herself think benevolent, gracious thoughts like, 'way to go, friend.'

Oh, Jesus. He was really, _really_ looking forward to fucking that out of her. Hard. She was gonna pay for this.

Alanis was still talking. He had to stop himself from walking away, needed to dig deep and make an honest effort here. It was a near thing, his feet were breaking the line, stepping out and heading to Bonnie. He wanted to cloak himself and then her, and take her up to one of the balconies on the second level and show her that he _did not give a shit about anything else_. Without even taking their clothes off, he just wanted to push himself into her, so deep it would drive out every dumb thought going through her crazy ass head.

Bonnie was his. Everything was too abnormal between them for it to be otherwise, in far too short a time. He knew this consciously now, was starting to accept it. Not in a macho way, like he was a Neanderthal-or yeah, possibly a little, because he was male and marking territory was still a thing they did. But there was more to it, and he couldn't put his finger yet on quite what. If this was his grandfather, the old man might've philosophized on it and thrown out words like kismet. Except Kai couldn't trust that, either. Kismet didn't mean anything except that things could go very right or very wrong, here. Since he and Bonnie were the type of people that could as easily murder each other as marry each other, he wasn't much a fan of that concept.

He didn't want to marry her, not right now. He just needed to be lost in her. A lot, for an undetermined length of time.

She _was_ his, though. Why the fuck was he the only one to see it? She was a Bennett, and he was a future Gemini leader. Sure, right now he hated every other Bennett on principle, but his father and her Grams had been allies for years, and in coven history books there existed a long pattern of alliances and relationships between their families. If he could spare a few minutes now, he could probably find the passages in the biographical texts that linked a few of his ancestors to hers. Maybe not by marriage, but definitely something.

Maybe that would convince her, but of what? He knew what she would say.

"Sure, let's be pals," she would say in that purposely naive way she had.

And that would give him a chance to reply that some pals fucked, fought, and fucked some more. With the occasional dinner dates in between.

He needed out of this reception. Kai took a cautious breath, the sea of faces swimming before him. Alanis finally drifted past, and he turned, ready to greet the next guest, when his smile froze.

Deep, aquamarine eyes gazed at him, worried wrinkles stark against a pale, fine-boned face.

He almost sobbed in relief. "Maggie," he said, a little weakly.

She took his hand, shook it gently, then leaned in. "I shall find you later."

He nodded.

"Steady there, my boy," she added, then patted his cheek.

Maggie...she knew. Maybe not everything, but she fucking knew _something_.

Why go to all the trouble with the cryptic messages? Why seek out Bonnie? Why push him to do the same? The woman could see into other fucking universes, she'd given him in-depth accounts of that, several times in the past. The last time had been when they fought after she barged into his pocket world and threatened to undo the fabric of that reality to get him to rejoin the land of the actual living.

Maggie _knew_. She had been cagey earlier, before the ceremony. Almost like she was guilty of something. If so, what? She had largely avoided telling him anything about Bonnie, but he could tell she had disclosed much more about him to Bonnie. What if Maggie had also included other tidbits, like sharing about the other versions of him out there? But why would Maggie do so, what would be the purpose?

Theo had once explained it to him. The Durants were known as observers; in their family, the predisposition for their magic to allow them glimpses into the other worlds ran strong. Part of their method to their specific type of madness involved running interventions, when they saw trends in the other worlds-both good and bad-and witnessed parallel events in this one. They liked playing with fate, was how Kai always looked at it.

Maggie, up until now, had only interfered in his life like that when absolutely needed. And now she clearly had gotten to Bonnie. And he suspected, with a sinking feeling in his stomach, that it was because in other worlds, he and Bonnie were running amok together. And why the fuck was he only figuring this out now?

No wonder Bonnie was so incredibly, painfully skittish.

Oh, God.

Maybe he'd done something terrible to her, in some of them.

* * *

 **A/N:** Kai knowwwwws! This chapter was a doozy to write but wow, but it flowed out quick. Much as I like writing this story, I'm so behind on reading other bonkai fics, just to get this one done. But it's good, b/c then I can sit back and catch up for a while. There are so few bonkai stories out here compared to other fandoms, I guess it's good to horde the updates LOL. :) :(

Thanks again for reading and reviewing, guys!

Also, what are Bonnie and Sheila's full names? If anyone knows, please share, thanks!


	21. Chapter 21

_CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE_

 _Of all places, he was living in a high-rise in Bethesda, Maryland, in a posh tower that overlooked a park and a distant view of the capital. He'd just spent time slumming it at the Smithsonian museums, and something in him was urging for temporary roots, if such an oxymoron was possible. Bethesda was pretty. He'd been meaning to visit it ever since that time in the real world, when he'd talked up a woman at a bar who kept insisting that he had a face that belonged in Bethesda. At first he'd been surprised, thinking the woman was referencing something obscure, and maybe she was deeper than expected. But then as she showed him an article on her phone from a magazine, her drunk giggles rattled irritatingly against his brain. Bethesda ranked in some article, as one of the Top 10 Hottest-Guy Cities._

 _He'd gone home alone that night._

 _But Bethesda, he'd looked up. Mostly because it was near D.C. and he liked cavorting around the city, had done it lots of times when he was younger and wanted to get away from his grandfather for a while. Especially after learning how to pilot a plane, exploring the world had become his thing. Theo approved because he thought it grounded Kai. But when he'd first started traveling, after that initial miserable half-year of near-solitary confinement, Kai's motivation to do so had been anything but grounded. He had decided that when he grew up, he wanted to murder his entire coven and settle down somewhere far, far away from Oregon. So from there, the natural thing to do was explore. And there was nothing like a place soaked up in stuffiness to let out a little steam by indulging in the obscene. He'd graffitied all over the memorials and monuments, destroyed the oval office, and pissed from the top of the Capitol building, all before he turned nineteen._

 _Nearly a decade later, here he was. No longer that motivated to urinate from the spires of the US Capitol, he managed a trip back there anyway, this time studying the government buildings themselves more closely as he wandered, remembering how much of a fan his grandfather had been of their neoclassical styles._

 _Picking Bethesda had more to do with irony. Reflecting on the random woman at the bar and what she'd told him about it, he decided to settle there, in the hot-guy city, while he felt ravaged by despair, empty and ugly-inside and out._

 _And picking that particular high-rise in Bethesda, had to do with the elevators. They seemed to never glitch. Second reason being the unimpeded view of the sunset that he liked to watch as he drank a bottle or five of random alcohol just after dinner every night. His routine nightcap followed, without fail for the past two weeks now, by him climbing to the edge of the balcony, contemplating the twenty-storey drop from there, and wondering how kissing concrete might taste like, from this high up._

 _That particular night was really pretty out. It was summer, and the sun in the horizon turned the sky into a tie-dye pattern that reminded him of the nineties. How much easier life had been when he was belligerent and ostracized, couldn't control his siphoning and had nobody to care about or that he cared about in return. He sipped from his bottle of whiskey, smiling, thinking that in another sip or two his drink would be done and he could go seriously ponder killing himself for the fifteenth time._

 _"Mind some company?" rang the unexpected voice, in crisp tones of disapproval._

 _Cursing, he spit out his drink in a spray, his hand almost dropping the bottle as he turned._

 _"How the hell did you get here?" he sputtered at the old woman, as she smoothly seated herself in the other metal chair, flinging her fingers to magically shove his boot off the side of it._

 _"Your grandfather knew you would do this, and left me a spare of the ascendant."_

 _He chuckled. "Of course. Sneaky old bastard."_

 _"I'm supposed to bring you out of your funk. Your grandfather's words."_

 _"No funk here. Just enjoying my drink and the view." He tilted the corner of one mouth up. "_ _ **I**_ _am an honorary citizen of this little town. It's in the Top 10 Hottest-Guys Cities, did you know? This woman said I needed to live here. Cuz you know, I'm hot." He pointed. "Look, it's so close to the White House I can sneak into the oval office for lunch and be back here before the next episode of Geraldo."_

 _"You've been alone in this world for months, Malachai. Lucas and Olivia are weeks away from being forced to try to murder each other. Your father is growing malcontent by the day."_

 _She eyed him unforgivingly, her eyes voicing what her mouth refrained from saying._ _ **Man the fuck up.**_

 _"None of those are really my problem," he said, his smirk growing cold._

 _She sighed then. "You're meant for far better things than this, dear boy."_

 _"Ooooooo, do tell." He rubbed his hands excitedly, although his face felt numb. "Did one of your little psycho psychics have a new vision of the future?" He frowned. "Wait, do I end up killing my siblings after all and then build myself a new coven? Because, gotta say, I think it would've been more fun doing that when they were all a bunch of screaming little brats. Some of them are probably likable now." He clucked at her in disapproval. "Who needs that guilt?"_

 _He tipped his head back, bringing the bottle to his lips again but the bottle was suddenly gone. He stared at his empty hand, then looked and found Maggie, elegantly chugging away at the remaining whiskey._

 _"If you truly wanted to be rid of your existence, Malachai, we would not be having this discussion. I of all people know how capable you are. I wonder if you know it yourself."_

 _He didn't like how that sounded. When she suddenly lunged forward, planting a firm finger on his temple, he liked it even less. But he couldn't fight off her magic, and it settled over him, invading his mind-_

 _ **This version of him wore cargos, a t-shirt, and hoodie as he whistled his way down the sidewalk. He looked younger by several years and was missing some muscle. There was a pawn shop at the corner, with an OPEN sign glowing behind the door, and he stepped inside cheerfully, pretending to open the door for someone and waving them in first.**_

 _ **Right away, he could see the Kai in this world seemed loopier than in some of the others.**_

 _ **He walked up to a display filled with antique guns and enormous iron bullets. With his elbow, he broke the glass and then, very casually, picked up the antique set of pistols with porcelain handles. Still whistling, he casually loaded the gun, seemingly like an expert, and then proceeded sit atop the counter, legs dangling. Again, he gestured around him, as if he was disrupting unseen customers from their shopping, and fake apologizing with a laugh. Then he cocked the gun to the side of his head and blew his brains out-**_

 _"What the fuck, Maggie?" Kai gasped, ripping her finger off his temple._

 _He stood and started pacing, grabbing his own head with shaky hands, feeling it to make sure it was all there and there were no holes, and nothing was leaking out, and that it didn't resemble the gray and red bits of mash that had exploded against the walls of the pawn shop._

 _He glared at Maggie. "Not nice."_

 _"I can do this all night, Malachai. There are quite a few versions of you like that one." She leaned back and closed her eyes. "Difference being, they're all killing themselves to find a way out of their prison. You have your freedom and want to kill yourself because you're afraid to explore it."_

 _"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate old people? You and Theo. You guys suck."_

 _"Don't be rude. You know I'm the only person left in the world that you care for." And then her brilliant eyes opened suddenly, piercing him. "Later, will come a few others. And later yet, the one you shall love the most."_

She hadn't lied. Showing him all those other suicidal versions was precisely what she'd done the rest of that night-the worst one being a Kai who slipped his head inside a guillotine display, maniacally smiling as dull blades chopped jaggedly into his neck. That one had broken his temper, and he finally stole her magic and attacked her. To which she'd replied by way of a spectacular beat down, on a scale that hadn't been matched yet. The tower he had stayed in was completely leveled, by the end of the night.

That night, he'd gotten his ass handed to him by the woman who was like his grandmother. Right now, he was again in need of her intervention, maybe not in the same manner, but his head felt like it was coming apart, and he needed someone to help him keep it together.

Kai looked at Liv and Tyler, urging them to look back at him. His sister was freaked out, he knew it was because of him.

"What the hell is your problem?" Tyler asked through a smile.

"I need to go," he said, speaking in his ear.

"No, Kai, don't leave now. The Vansels."

More bad luck. Dammit. Then Kai looked again, and realized that yes, Fiona and her parents were next, followed by Noah.

And then Bonnie.

Settling himself easily back in line, he pasted a smile on his face, and greeted the hated family with gusto. It surprised them. Richard seemed distrustful, but his wife accepted it graciously, coolly, as did Fiona. Except in Fiona's case, she made sure to slink into his personal space, and touch his chest provocatively. He barely registered it. He had no recollection of what he said to any of them, and vice versa. He only knew he was glad when Tyler seemed to pick up on his distractedness, and pulled Fiona over his way to move the line along.

Noah, in between greeting Kai's younger siblings, was fucking touching Bonnie's back, and joking around with her like _they_ were pals.

What in the hell was happening? When the fuck had they even met? His brain kicked up an image of yesterday's luncheon. He and his siblings had walked in on the entire Vansel clan surrounding Liv and Tyler's table. It was also when he'd first caught sight of Bonnie.

Kai watched her now, as she gave Noah a friendly smile. He knew that tiny hint of calculation in her gaze. She was casing the younger Vansel, much like he'd once accused her of doing to him. But how could he be relieved by that? She should stay out of it, he could handle this. He should've definitely kicked her out of the damn wedding already.

Kai didn't speak, as he stared the other man down, barely restraining the urge to squeeze his head in like it was an orange, and see his brain dribble out all juicy.

Noah's hand clapped his shoulder, and Kai's jaw locked up, a hard spasm that ran all along his arm, and down his hand. He lifted it and smacked the other man right back, jarring his shoulder so hard that Noah stumbled into Fiona. The pair of siblings gaped at him, and he shrugged and had the tiniest presence of mind to smile ruefully.

"Don't know my own strength," he said lightly.

He turned his head, and the buzz in the room quieted then, everything extraneous falling away, as he met Bonnie's hazel gaze.

Like always, her eyes held a note of concern, and she was biting her mouth, making him groan internally. This was one of her nervous ticks he wanted to take over for her, to nibble on that plump lip of hers.

"Hi," she said, her eyes peeking hesitantly up at him through her thick lashes. She wasn't trying to be coy, the way most women did when they looked at him that way, but from her it worked, distracted him outside the bounds of all reason.

"Hi," he answered, hearing his voice drop several octaves.

Her polite smile killed him, he wanted to lean down and open her lips with his, and hear her moan his name. Instead, he took her offered handshake, and clasped her fingers in his.

"Thanks for," she faltered when he narrowed his eyes at her, "having me."

Yeah, excellent choice of words. She was pulling her hand away, but he didn't let go.

So many ways to have her, each one of them profoundly, intimately nude and obscene, played through his head right then. He made sure to keep eye contact, and judging by the faintest hint of rose blossoming on her cheeks, she probably had a good idea what was going through his mind right now.

But she didn't know all of it.

He was remembering Maggie's visit to the pocket world.

 _"Later will come the one you shall love the most."_

A hysterical urge to laugh hit him then, as he stared at Bonnie. This wasn't love. Was he even capable of it? Maybe with his family, yes, he now knew he had loved his grandfather, and in some capacity, one founded on gratitude, his mother. Some of his siblings even, possibly. But with women in general? No. That never happened. But meeting Bonnie now opened up a new world of possibilities, and he wasn't certain about love, but for sure he could do obsession, pretty fucking spectacularly. And Bonnie would be his first target, and at this point, looked like his only.

She was a living specter that he couldn't shake, haunting every one of his thoughts, and making him ill. He was like a man possessed.

It would get better once she left, but in order to do that he would have to let her go in the first place. If he was a better man, he would do exactly that, it was obviously what she wanted, and God knew there were enough reasons to-not only their opposing lifestyles in this world, but also whatever she had learned from Maggie, probably scary shit of them tormenting each other across the other ones.

Or maybe not, his brain suggested, bringing back to mind Bonnie riding his fingers in his bedroom, kissing him back with the intensity he felt. If those other realities were nothing but nightmares, why would she ever have given him the time of day, much less let those intimacies happen between them?

There was a lot more to it.

He wasn't a better man. The reception line had stalled, because he _couldn't_ let Bonnie go. He tried, but there were motor sensory pathways missing connections, and his hand refused to loosen. Her eyes became panicked, as she kept tugging her hand away and his fingers didn't budge. He felt Tyler's elbow digging into his side. On his other side, Rachel was hovering, ready to interrupt and probably nudge Bonnie herself down the line. In front of her, he sensed Caroline and Matt tensing, waiting to intervene also except with their brilliant ideas, surely disaster would come of it.

Fucking goddamn people wouldn't just leave him _alone_ with her.

Bonnie squeezed his fingers, a slight frown marring her brows, her eyes flashing with warning. The tiniest current of magic jolted his hand then, and his fingers ever so slowly relaxed. Kai gulped down air, and sense returned to his brain.

He let go of her, smiling smoothly. "Sorry, got lost there for a sec. We met yesterday, right?"

She nodded.

He leaned in flirtatiously. "Care for a dance later?"

"I don't dance," she said quickly.

His jaw tightened, nostrils flaring, a mistake because it let her scent invade his senses, her perfume mixed with that hint of unique torched earthiness that made him want to explore every square inch of her. With his tongue.

 _Damn you, Bonnie._

"Shame," he said, letting his voice go cool. "Maybe you'll change your mind."

"Not a chance." And with a last quick regretful smile, and a sigh of relief that was audible and just a little rude, in his opinion, she moved past him to Tyler.

Caroline was next, and her hands were cool, her grip painfully tight, vampiric strength just short of breaking his own fingers. Her blue eyes were full of misgiving, but it wasn't all just about his behavior, he could see. When Matt followed her, he knew something else was wrong. Both their faces showed muted panic.

New shit had definitely gone down, and they probably needed his help again. He'd never been more antsy to get to a supply closet than at that moment, and him without any intention of using the space for a sexual rendezvous. Somewhere, someone owed him a prize or at least a shiny 'good job' button.

The line moved at a much quicker pace after, everyone's eyes now on the circulating trays of additional drinks and hor d'oeuvres. Presently, people were milling around the room, mingling easily as the caterers bustled around them offering light appetizers and ice breakers in the form of champagne and light wines.

He was starving, and maybe that was why he was so out of sorts just then, but he didn't stop to grab any food or drinks because Bonnie was no longer in the room. His eyes found Matt, walking around and flitting from person to person, casing everyone like the dutiful cop he was without trying to look it. And Caroline was off in another corner, chatting with the Vansels. Everyone was doing their part.

Which meant Bonnie was waiting for him in the closet. He felt a little bad, picking that as their meeting spot, but their phone conversation at the end there had given him a figurative stab wound, and he wasn't above being petty. She was so damn obstinate about not being one of his conquests that when the opportunity dropped in his lap, he couldn't resist.

He was such an asshole sometimes, and usually enjoyed it, but this time mistrust hit him. This could go really wrong. Quickening his steps, he made his way out of the room, gauging if anyone was following. So far he wasn't getting anything. As he neared the closet, though, his qualms now giving way to eager anticipation of being alone with Bonnie again, he heard rapid footsteps behind him.

"Kai!" Closing his eyes in irritation, he held in a curse.

"Fiona," he said easily.

"Hey, handsome," she paused, suspicion creeping into her eyes, when she spotted the closet door just feet away. "Where were you going?"

"The men's restroom," he said. "Not that it's any of your business."

"The nearest one is back that way," she said in dulcet tones.

"I know, but I prefer the other one. Less traffic." He lifted a brow. "Is there a reason I'm being interrogated about my bathroom preferences?"

She slinked up, a seductive, challenging smile on her face. "I needed to talk to you."

He kept his body loose, his mind calm, while he imagined that the ground beneath her feet would open up and swallow her whole, never to reappear in his life. Or Dex's, because he was the only other Parker left that Fiona could try to get her claws in.

"Kai, there's something-" she glanced behind her, and when she turned back to him, it was through thick dark blonde lashes that fluttered expertly up at him. "Let's go in here."

Cold dread formed in his belly, as she tugged his arm and led him to the closet. He resisted.

"Fiona, I'm sorry, I really can't. Nature calls."

"Look," she said, her usually saccharine tone now jagged and sharp enough to cut glass, as her voice lowered by several octaves. "Five minutes, just to talk, that's all I want."

Goddammit. Bonnie was in there.

He made slow work of opening the door, as he mentally chanted the incantation that would cloak her.

Fiona frowned. "Why is your magic flaring up?"

Fuck.

"Just on edge," he lied, then poured charm into his tone. "I didn't even realize. You're making me a little nervous."

He snuck a quick look inside and with an unbelievable sense of relief, saw that it stood empty. Flicking the light on, he ushered Fiona inside, making sure to keep the door slightly ajar before stepping further inside the space. In case Bonnie walked up, at least she could hear that it was occupied. But Jesus, she would be hearing his and Fiona's voices and making the worst assumptions.

Someday soon, he would need to spell up new luck for himself. His current run of it was nothing but shit.

There were only boxes and some unused shelves inside, along with a few spare chairs stacked in one corner. Plenty of room for him to move to one side, while making sure she stayed far away on the other.

Fiona shut the door tightly, and turned to face him.

He fought down a glower, and instead pasted a courteous smile.

The tall blonde moved towards him and put her hands on his chest, her fingers roaming. "You don't know," she purred, "how much I've imagined this."

With firm hands, he guided her outside of his personal space. "Getting a little handsier than you promised," he said, his voice turning icy. "Not really feeling touchy-feely right now, Fiona. You sounded like you had something urgent to talk about. So. Let's hear it."

For the first time in maybe ever, something ugly crossed Fiona's face.

"Why haven't you ever given me a chance?" she demanded.

Holy shit, she was having a meltdown. So not the time, and he was really not the person to care.

He started laughing.

"Is it Alanis?" She stalked back up, glaring into his face. "That little vanilla weakling will bore you to tears, Kai. She was a child when you left, and still is one even now. I could offer you a lot more." Then her face turned hard. "I'm stronger, too. I could fight for you a lot harder." Her hands reached out, clutching his jacket and she leaned in for a kiss. "And I'm much, much better in bed. I remember how much you wanted to try my skills in high school. Well, I've improved on them over the years, I guarantee you."

Drawing away, Kai clamped down on an urge to magically duct tape her mouth shut. He had a few fond memories of raising hell in high school, but none of them involved Fiona. She was one of the things he wished he could undo. But being seventeen and ostracized meant he'd used to look for ways to lash out against his family and the coven. What better way than to try to seduce the pretty freshman Vansel witch, supposedly still a virgin, who even then thought she was a hot bitch in charge? He'd spent a few months casting bait for her, and had almost caught her, too, at a house party, when he'd been high and drunk at the time, barely remembering her name. She'd been trying to get close to him just to make her boyfriend at the time jealous, he remembered that.

"Fiona, I think I your memories are kind of far removed from reality. I wanted to use you to spite my father and the rest of the coven." He shrugged. "You were smart enough not to go for it, then. So what changed, hmm?"

"You did," she said.

"Because I'm now poised to lead the coven?" He laughed derisively.

"Partly that, and partly...you're not an animal-killing maniac anymore."

"You were smarter when you were fourteen," he said, smiling menacingly. "Maybe I still am, I just hide it better."

She took an automatic step back at that.

Shaking his head, he walked away from her, wishing he'd had Bonnie meet up in his room instead. They could've been having a conversation now, her giving up all the secrets of their other selves while he talked her out of using them as excuses to run away.

"Kai, we have a lot in common," she said. "Even if you weren't coven leader, it could be pretty amazing, if you would just let me in."

She drew herself up, and came close enough to run her fingers along his shoulders, gently, and then her fingers toyed with his shirt buttons.

"Give us a chance," she whispered seductively, her hands now running lower, towards his pants. "You won't regret it."

Strangely, the lights flickered just then, then grew extra bright.

Kai plucked her hands away, as he cast a confused look up. "Did you do that?" he asked Fiona, one finger pointing to the ceiling lights.

She gave him a provocative look, and then nodded coyly. "Just another sign," she purred. "Our magic. They're hungry for each other."

She was full of shit, that wasn't her at all, his magic didn't even register hers.

The walls vibrated softly, causing the loose items within the closet to rattle, and at the edge of his sight he saw the air simmer, as if pieces of the room were steaming, and he realized it had gotten a little warm inside.

 _Oh._

 _Fuck._

Bonnie.

Kai grimaced, as he turned his back on Fiona, his eyes scanning the room. Bonnie was in here with them. She had cloaked herself. Fucking hell. Was he having a nightmare? He lacked sleep, there was a chance he could actually have passed out at the dais just now, and this was nothing more than a really bad dream.

Fiona's lips moved near his ear, and he jumped a foot away, just as one of the decorative vases resting in one of the corners shattered into pieces.

He was a grown man, but just right then, he wasn't sure if he wanted to throw a tantrum or piss himself, was how this moment had turned into the worst kind of a fucking catastrophe. All because he'd been bitter, and wanted to have Bonnie standing in a closet with him, just to see her angry.

"I'm so sorry," he said softly, his eyes roaming the empty space before him. "Please, please listen. I didn't mean for this to happen."

Dammit. He closed his eyes, willing himself to avoid using his powers, seized by a vehement urge to disintegrate the closet, the whole fucking lodge, and everyone in it. Except himself and Bonnie.

"It's okay, oh, Kai, don't worry," Fiona clutched his shoulders, making him turn. "I'm not angry."

Coldly, he moved firmly out of reach, and then flung his hand out, using magic to create a barrier between them. "Fiona, you have one more chance. Say whatever the hell was so important that you had to drag me into this closet, and then get out."

Confusion crossed her features. "But you said you're sorry."

"Oh, it wasn't meant for you." He gave into recklessness and gestured wildly around the room, his laughter ringing out harshly. "See, I have this really hot imaginary friend that I want to spend time with, but somehow we just keep getting interrupted. That apology was for her."

The look that crossed Fiona's face was one of serious doubt. _Yes, I'm crazy, leave me the fuck alone_ -he almost said.

"Any day now, Fiona," he said, looking at his watch. "Clock's a ticking."

Her perfect jaw dropped open at his words and the iciness in his tone. He'd never spoken to her like this before, not since he'd returned at least, and a little fear crept into her eyes. He lifted a brow threateningly.

She shook her head. "I was thinking of leaving for a short sabbatical from the coven," she said, in a clipped voice. "I wanted to ask if you would come with me."

"Why would I do that?" he asked, honestly puzzled.

The idea was insane, and yet-a sabbatical sounded awesome. Maybe if Bonnie was the one offering it up to him, he would've been sorely tempted to take her up. A long-term break from everything, with just him and her, exploring each other and maybe the world. His chest and his groin ached with pleasure at the thought.

But it wasn't Bonnie.

"No," he said simply.

Fiona's head rose then, the look on her face changing quickly, from anger to desperation to hurt and fear, and then, finally, malice. She laughed huskily, smiling. "Now that I think about it, you're right. You'd have no reason to. Everything is about to go your way, isn't it?"

She turned, then said over her shoulder, "Silly of me to even try."

Kai watched her go, and then was letting out a small breath of relief, turning back to the wall behind him, when he heard Fiona's laughter again, drifting from the hall. "Oh, are you looking for Kai? I just left him in the closet. He's all yours, sweetie."

A new set of footsteps sounded, little heels clattering purposefully, and soon they came to a stop. Alanis Crux, standing in the doorway, gazed back at him with disappointment clear on her face.

Wordlessly, he watched her step inside and shut the door, and he lost it then, turning around, staring again at the walls and hoping he was looking at Bonnie. His arms came up, palms open, his shoulders shrugging as he rolled his eyes. What the fuck, was every woman that had ever been on his radar going to make an appearance now, just to ensure that the one woman that refused to even make a blip on the instrument panel, remained out of reach?

Was he in hell, and his punishment Bonnie Bennett dangling in front of him just out of grasp? The thought of losing the chance to have her in his life because of this stupid ass closet sucked out air from his lungs. Gnawing began in his chest, familiar and leaving him hollow.

He walked to a chair and dropped down, only to land on something soft, before something else, the opposite of soft-actually, pretty fucking painful-hit his ass like a lightning bolt. Springing back up clumsily, he swallowed a yelp, his eyes glowering at the chair.

Okay. There she was. Why hadn't he thought of that? Of course, she'd find a way to have a front row seat to his semi-public shaming.

"Kai?" came the soft voice by the door.

He fought down an urge to curse at the girl, and scare her out of the room so he could be alone with Bonnie.

"I didn't get a chance to really talk to you after the meeting," Alanis continued, stepping further inside, her eyes glancing around.

He sighed heavily, hoping that Bonnie wasn't going to try teleporting out unnoticed.

"So this is where all the action happens," Alanis mused. "It's not really the most comfortable place."

"Look, Alanis." Where to even begin?

"I wondered about your reputation." Her face looked distraught. Great. Now Bonnie would see him reach new heights of assholery. "I mean, I admit, it would've been flattering if you invited me here before."

"Now's not a good time," was all he could manage, sullen. He threw a glance to the chair, and kept staring, imagining how Bonnie might be looking now. Maybe she had gnawed her lip so hard, her poor beautiful mouth had turned into raggedy bits.

"I always kind of thought I had more self-respect, but I guess I'm a little more vain after all." Alanis shook her head, disgusted. "And I thought you were a little less superficial, because Fiona, she's gorgeous but-"

He covered his mouth, because he couldn't hold it back. His shoulders started shaking.

"Are you..." Alanis's face took on an offended expression. "Why are you laughing?"

"Oh, no reason," he said, chortling. "Fiona and I-"

He stopped, blinking thoughtfully. A bright, clear path opened itself up, one that would lead to this girl's immediate retreat. He took it, unhesitatingly.

"We just had mindblowing sex," he blurted, smiling cheerily. "Which means, I'm kind of wasted right now. Sorry, but you'll have to come back later for your turn."

* * *

Jaw dropping, Bonnie watched as Alanis stormed quickly out, the angry click of her heels breaking into a run, and she imagined the poor girl crying as she moved down the hallway.

What. The. Hell?

Kai had just ruined his best chance at a normal relationship.

He closed the door firmly, and turned towards her. She kept herself cloaked, not because she was angry-well, yes, that, too-but more because he was in one of his moods, and she wasn't sure if revealing herself was the right course of action just then. Maybe she should even teleport.

He held out his hands, his brows raised in mock eagerness. "Well?" he asked. "Did you enjoy the show?"

"Bravo, you jerk," she muttered, but he couldn't hear her, because cloaking involved imperviousness to sight and sound. But not touch, and hadn't that been a shock, him sitting on her? She'd never been more thankful for her honed reflexes, and the way her magic zapped his ass so quickly he'd barely lingered for a millisecond on her thighs.

"It's considered impolite, Bonnie, to watch something entertaining and not give a round of applause at the end. I worked hard just now, too."

"You're a douchebag, Kai."

"I know you're mad," he said, his tone changing. "I'm sorry."

He moved closer, his eyes along the wall around her. She'd been sure he knew she was still sitting on the chair, but now she realized he must have thought she got spooked, and was trying to get away by inching out along the walls.

As if. What did she care about his spats with his women? Well, she cared if he threw Alanis away, she seemed genuinely into him, and not a conniving, evil bitch. Those were good qualities to have in a girlfriend. And then Bonnie stopped, her mind running back to the scene with Fiona. As desperate and pathetic and manipulatively transparent as she'd seemed, something bugged Bonnie about it.

Fiona had been sincere.

She wished she could remember everything the woman had said. At the time, she'd been in a blind rage, trying not to melt the woman's hands off as they roamed all over Kai.

The lights blinked on and off again, as Bonnie relived the images.

He let out another snicker. "Oh, you're really good and angry, aren't you, Bon? Why don't you show yourself and tell me all about it? I can be a good listener."

"No, you're a damn yapper. Yap yap yap. You like your own voice more than anything else."

"C'mon, Bonnie. I have this feeling I'm missing out on some awesome zingers. I need to hear you."

Her gaze took him in, and she hated how her stomach flipped and flopped when he drew near enough that she saw how his stubble had grown in even more, reaching further up along his jaw, and that his eyes looked tired, the gray dimmed almost into blue, like an ocean receding.

He dropped then, lightning quick, crouching before the chair that she still sat on, his arms wrapped on either side, and brushing her thighs. His hands moved up, feeling his way around her, setting her slightly on fire just with his soft grazing touch.

"I need to see you."

She closed her eyes and leaned into him. "Kai," she whispered, as his fingers trailed her hips, and caressed her waist and the sides of her breasts. They lingered there, before moving slowly up her shoulders, trailing along her neck and the sides of her jaw.

"Bonnie," his voice was low and full of so much need.

"No," she said.

"I miss you."

 _Oh. Damn you, Kai._

She grabbed his hands then, and pushed his fingers away, but he wouldn't let go of her, just like earlier during the receiving line.

Closing her eyes, she let a wild surge of magic out. His other hand found her cheek, and she felt him channeling her, and she let it happen.

Their magic mated in the air around them, crashing wildly. He couldn't see hers because of the veil, but she did, she saw it all. Colors swirled around them, hungry and frenzied, his thunderous, hers blazing, and hair on her arm stood on their ends, electrified and half-singed by the chaos of just letting go, Kai right there with her. Her head felt heated and lightened all at once, and her chest felt free, finally free from so much tightness that she didn't even realize wasn't letting her breathe properly. Now she could.

He moved forward and kissed her, his palm still against her face. His landing was off because he couldn't see her, but he quickly found the right angle, gently sweeping his mouth to hover over hers, barely grazing even. She got the sense he only wanted to feel her close, and have her do the same with him.

He pulled away, his breath choppy, as he stared like someone blind, hoping to get a glimpse of light, his eyes searching the empty space that she occupied.

"Please, Bonnie."

She eyed the tray to the side, resting on a side table, filled with food and water bottles that she had snuck out with her. She hadn't eaten much earlier, and he had probably eaten even less. Knowing him, he was probably starving, maybe even hypoglycemic. Small wonder he was acting a bit deranged.

She had cloaked the tray when she cast the spell in a panic. And it was purely for alleviating both of their need to eat something that she decided to lift the cloak, but just before she did it, he opened his mouth again, a wild light in his eyes. She could guess some kind of threat was forming there, and she grabbed one of the buttery bread rolls and shoved it in his mouth.

She revealed herself.

His face was a joke, a study of so many contradictions she had to smile. Relief, for one, probably because he was starving and hadn't expected food to pop into his mouth; indignation, because she had stuffed it unceremoniously in there to shut him up; uncertainty, from maybe wondering how she was going to react; satisfaction, now that they had a level playing field where they each could see and hear the other.

And hunger-naked, undeniable want, pure and unfiltered. But again, that was probably because of him missing lunch.

She tried to push herself off the chair to stand, but he didn't move back to give her space. Her head nodded to the side, towards the tray, her brows lifted and mouth quirked sideways. "I'd like some food, too," she said, aggravated.

Without looking, he reached for the tiny sandwich and offered it up to her.

She tried to grab it, but he held it away quickly, as he chewed on his bread roll. "You fed me," he said, swallowing the last of the bread. "I should do you the same courtesy."

Rolling her eyes, she waited as he brought the sandwich closer, and then slid it into her mouth, making sure his finger touched her tongue, before brushing along her lips.

She swatted it away.

The smile that formed on his face was regretful. "Did a lot of damage, this closet, huh?"

"Sure, did you see Alanis? You really hurt her. Maybe next time you shouldn't double book. It's not fair to her or Fiona."

"And you?"

She shrugged. "I was a business meeting that you put in the wrong room." Then she sighed. "When this is all over, you need to get Alanis some nice flowers and chocolates. Does the term 'unmitigated ass' sound familiar to you? Use it to describe yourself when you apologize."

His hands traced her jawline. "Bonnie, you have no idea how sorry I am. Call me anything you want. Moron, idiot, shithead...unmitigated ass, was it? I deserve it. Just don't hide from me."

Then his mouth was on hers again, kissing more deeply, taking slow dragging pulls, his tongue lapping gently at hers.

He pushed her backwards, and she let him, their heads level with each other as his upper body wedged itself between her thighs. She couldn't help her fingers reaching up to wrap around his neck, as she sighed into him. One of his hands threaded through her hair, the other her back, arching her against him, and his lips trailed away from hers, finding her jaw, her temples, her closed lids, kissing softly, and that confused her too, because she expected passion but this was...tender. Made her giddy, and almost feel like she was being worshipped.

He pulled back then, the look on his face a little amazed.

And she realized her mistake, because this had just given him back all hope.

"I'm tired," she said, trying to sound as cross as possible as she drew away while also pushing him back. "And you're a good kisser. Don't get too excited. That's all you get from me here."

He laughed softly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "You really think our first time together would be in a closet? C'mon, Bonnie, we deserve better."

"There's not going to be a first time."

But the glance he gave her just then was so supremely smug, she saw that it was a foregone conclusion for him. She'd never been in this position before, and she didn't quite know what to make of it. They'd been through too much just in two days for her to follow through on her plan to keep aloof, and send him on his way. But she didn't want him following her to Mystic Falls-where he could die, or kill her friends-and she didn't mesh well with his life here, in this controlled, coven-centered existence. The whole thing was an uphill battle from the outset, anyone with a brain could see the heartache that would be involved.

"Why can't we just be friends, Kai?" Impossibly, she cared what happened to him, even this early in the juncture, and knew he did for her; a friendship would be the solution to everything. They could still see each other, learn from one another, but without any of the drawbacks that a relationship presented. "You have other women that you can be with, from your own coven. It's just easier."

He groaned then, his hands going for his head like he wanted to tear his hair off, then he stood and paced before her.

"And I mean Alanis, not Fiona." She paused here, then added, "But that was weird, right? I think you should go talk to her. Fiona. Why would she want to take a sabbatical now, and ask you to come along? Something's up with her." Then her face cleared. "But definitely after, fix your screw-up with Alanis."

"When did I give the impression that I give a shit about anyone else? It's you that's driving me nuts. I don't want easy, Bon." His laugh was humorless, as he leaned sideways against the wall, his eyes bright, the message in them blazing clear and loud to her, even as obtuse as she was trying to make herself: _I want you._

"This is a passing thing, Kai."

"Bonnie," he said, studying her with incredulity. "Our magic had the equivalent of a quickie just now, _without_ us having sex. Our magic alone did that. You're in serious denial."

Her snort was unladylike, as she stood also, taking another mini sandwich and biting into it calmly, while also grabbing both water bottles. "Ohhh, I see, you're borrowing Fiona's line. How original. 'Our magic is hungry for each other.'" She intoned this completely deadpan, handing him one of the bottles, making sure their eyes met, as she added, "Yeah, sure. Kai, I could do that with anyone. _Have_ done it. Not that big a deal."

He stilled then, and by the look that crossed on his face, she knew she'd finally gotten to him. Good. She walked past him, creating more space between them.

"And you could've done the same with either one of those two women just now. Or probably already have." She shrugged, drinking from her bottle.

"Bonnie, stop," he said, his voice hoarse. "Just stop."

He was turned away from her now. Relief overcame her, because they didn't have time for this. She needed his help with a spell, and she needed him focused for it.

She was opening her mouth, ready to spill about the attack earlier outside, when Kai suddenly spun back around, his face expressionless, eyes a little dead.

"Have I mentioned that I've known Maggie Durant for about two decades now?" he asked calmly.

She didn't react to that, although she did know, Maggie had told her they'd met after his grandfather took over guardianship. Why he was bringing her up just now didn't bode well.

"Since I was seventeen," he added, walking to the tray and picking up more bite-sized appetizers. He took a bite, and chewed thoughtfully. "Not much I don't know about her, and vice versa." He sat on the chair, studying her expectantly. "Aren't you gonna ask why the math is off? I don't look like I'm near forty."

Bonnie tensed, hugging her arms around her as she shook her head.

"Oh, oh, wait, don't tell me," he said, chuckling. "You already know, right? All about my history. That I didn't age because of this pocket dimension where my grandfather kept us locked up. Yep, half the year for twenty years, since I needed extreme home schooling. Yeah, who knew my grandfather ran a sociopath reform program? With a student population of one." He shook his head, taking his own drag from his water. "Maggie told you all about that, didn't she? I kept wondering what you two had in common, and it all boiled down to two things. Your grandmother. And me."

Bonnie breathed slowly, in and out, trying to find her thoughts because halfway through him speaking, it hit her what this was leading to. She leaned against the wall behind her, and then slid down until she was sitting on the floor. Drawing her knees under her, she wrapped her arms around her abdomen, like she was shielding herself as she watched him carefully.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and returned her appraisal calmly.

"You remind me of one of the horses we used to keep," he said. "This really hostile mare that wouldn't let anyone touch her. She was spooked all the damn time, kept seeing things nobody else saw."

 _...Damon, cutting off his head..._

 _...their vampire selves, ripping Jeremy apart..._

"Try and be honest here, Bon. Might be tough for you, but humor me. When Maggie showed you her little magic trick..." his eyes were the lightest she had ever seen, unblinking as they stared at her, bringing his index finger up to his temple, miming Maggie's approach. "Was it about us?"

Her throat struggled, she had to swallow thickly. "Kai-"

"Did a version of me hurt a version of you?" He let out his own shaky breath, disguising it quickly as a laugh. "Or vice versa, right? Did one of you kill one of me?"

He deserved the truth, and no matter what he thought of her, she wasn't going to keep this from him anymore. Plus, it was exhausting, carrying it around all by herself. For so many years, the burden of knowing always fell to her, and maybe it was time to share it with someone. Why not Kai? All that anxiety about whether it would make him snap, and it now felt like she was the one instead, falling to pieces.

"I think so," she said, clutching her sides tightly. "I tried stabbing you, in one of them. In another one, I was already dead, but you were carrying me."

Kai didn't move, and barely looked like he was breathing.

"We both killed my friends in another reality, where we were vampires," she continued, now babbling, unable to hold it in anymore. "In the one where I was dead, you killed my friend. He's a vampire. You burned him in the sun. But he killed another you, chopped off your he-" she stopped, choking, and then tears filled her eyes, but she didn't sob, just wiped it away angrily. "Whatever. It doesn't end well, Kai. Most of the time."

Silence fell after that, long and unbroken except for the stray sounds of music and chatter from the reception hall. They faced each other, and she noted how pale he was, and the way his throat worked.

"There are an infinity amount of worlds out there, Bonnie," he finally said, in a voice that sounded unsteady to her ears.

"True. Most of the ones I saw, we were at odds."

"Really? Most?" He stood, and then picked up the tray and sat down next to her, stretching his legs out as he placed the food between them. He picked up the last of the sandwiches and offered it to her, then when she declined, popped it into his own mouth.

"How do you have any appetite?" she couldn't help asking.

He shrugged, following his bite with another swig of water. "Never heard of stress eating? And you really should've brought something stronger." He waved his water bottle up ruefully.

Unbidden, laughter bubbled up and a little bit of sniffling, too. He offered her one of the napkins, and then before she could take it, moved to wipe her tears himself. Far too gently for her liking.

"I have to ask, are you more weepy 'cause I killed your friend or that he killed me?"

"Ugh," she said, rolling her eyes. But when she thought of his question, she knew the answer. She cared about Damon, no question, he was like an annoying older brother at this point. But it didn't feel like she had a gaping wound on her body when she imagined his other version's death. And that's how it had started to feel, thinking about the other Kais who died. She kept silent, avoiding his searching gaze.

"Did I hurt you in any of them?" he asked, his voice lacking any of the teasing just moments ago.

"The one where you were killed, I was lying down nearby, blood on my face, dying I think, and you were just standing around, yakking." She gave a small smile. "The one where I was already dead and you were trying to revive me, maybe I killed myself because I got sick of listening to you."

She was surprised that didn't get a chuckle from him. Instead the tic appeared on his jaw, as he looked away and leaned his head against the wall.

This time she didn't fight the urge, as her hand reached up to trace the beat of the spasm working along his stubble. Her fingers were soft, and she barely felt his skin but she heard his shaky breath, before he leaned tiredly into her hand. His lashes grazed her palm, and she exhaled too, just indulging in the feel of him.

"How I know you're the girl for me," he said, smiling wryly. "'Cause this subject matter is beyond morbid and yet you're trying to crack jokes."

"You not laughing tells me you don't get my jokes. Pretty important for a relationship. So it wouldn't work out, not to mention, would be twisted anyway." She gave a hopeful smile. "But we could have a pretty neat friendship?"

"No." He grabbed her hand, and kissed it. "Damn Maggie. Such a meddler."

An invisible force tugged the tray between them away just then, and he hauled her into his arms, depositing her on his lap. She straddled him, settling into him without struggle. She was so damn tired, years and years of working and plodding away with all give and no take, with so many hurdles to jump over and across. He probably felt the same. And with that thought, she hid her face against his neck, and just rested.

She'd missed his scent, sweat and cedarwood with hints of whatever cologne he used, but underneath all of that, also pine and fall leaves and then the tiniest hint of brimstone, not the kind that brought to mind rotten eggs, but the lingering hint of burnt matches. The smell was peculiar to witches and warlocks proficient in their craft. She hadn't caught a whiff of it from anyone else in ages, and more importantly, she'd never been wrapped up in it like this, feeling comforted and wildly aroused in one go.

"This feels right, Bon." His voice vibrated through her. "And I don't know about you, but I don't regularly let friends sit on my lap. Somehow, I never want you to leave mine." Then he started laughing again, and she snuggled contentedly deeper against him, enjoying the rumble. "Oh, and in the off-chance that you do this with your other friends? I'll make sure I'm the only friend you've got."

Oh, God. When was the last time it had felt like this? Maybe never.

But because of their reality, she only spent a few seconds more, savoring the moment, before she pulled away. There were things that needed to get done.

"Kai, we don't have a lot of time. Something happened earlier."

He glanced up tensely, keeping a hold on her, but she fought against him now, trying to free herself. They spent a few seconds struggling against each other, her fists forming as she tried to wrench her arms away. His hands remained firm around her, though, as she squirmed. Frustrated, she glared into his face, saw his eyes darkening with a flash of heat, and her breath kicked up at the change, and underneath her she felt him harden, drawing her own need out quickly, almost without any effort.

"Kind of thought so, back at the receiving line."

He spoke so casually, but in an incredibly deep tone that stretched her skin, filled it with taut expectancy. Her brain fogged up, trying to cling on to the urgency of the situation-the attack, the creature, her blood.

With a measured gaze, he moved his hips.

"Kai," she said, controlling her voice so it didn't come out as a gasp.

He stiffened fully in response, and she grit her teeth; she was right on top of it, with only the thin barrier of her silky panties and his tuxedo slacks to hide her own undiluted reaction to him.

"Bonnie." His smirk told her that he could feel it, her wetness.

"Let me go."

"You're so cagey, can't blame me if I don't want to. You can tell me what happened without leaving my arms."

Filling her mind with images of the attack, she willed her arousal away, not wanting to waste any more time. Her blood was out there, a ticking time bomb waiting to drop on them any moment.

"I know we're supposed to be playing bait," she began. "But, um, that kind of already happened without you."

"What?" he said, in a dangerously low tone.

"It wasn't on purpose, calm the hell down," she said. "Something followed me when I went to the restroom. I drew it away, outside. It-she-attacked me, but my friends and I disabled her. Pretty sure she was the creature we saw on the camera."

His magic stifled the air in the room, a furious, living storm waiting to pound on something. "Stop it," she hissed.

"You drew it away," he repeated. "That doesn't sound like you played by my rules, Bon. How did you get attacked?"

"That's the thing." She sighed. "The woman, she took my blood. I think that's all she wanted, until I made her mad by trapping her with my magic.

He was gazing at her now with complete dismay over his features. "She took your blood."

There, see, he was a smart cookie, although you wouldn't know it just now, the way he kept echoing her. He knew what it meant-Bennett blood, in the hands of who knew what.

In the wake of the bad news, the one silver lining was that his erection and her wetness had both gone in hiding.

"You got hurt."

"I'm fine."

He pulled her hands up, frowning at her form. "Where?" he asked.

She waved a hand dismissively to her side. "I already healed myself."

But he zeroed in on the telltale spot where she'd been stabbed.

"Goddammit, Bonnie." His magic went haywire and the lights burst, plunging the room in blackness.

"Good job," she said dryly. " _Phesmatos lux._ "

Tiny bright balls of magic whipped up around them, multiple spheres circling around, bathing the closet in light.

To her complete shock, he started lifting her dress. "Hey!" she protested, pushing him away. "What-"

"Making sure you don't have signs of a hex," he seethed. "Or did you already check?"

That froze her, because he was right, of course, and she _had_ forgotten. The healing and protection spells weren't enough, she should've thought to double check for signs of a hex.

Point to Kai. Again.

He went on pulling her dress up and now had full view of her bra and panties, but surprisingly, he didn't even bat an eyelash. This was probably so common to him, women flashing him in their sexy lingerie, it was like finding stray change on the floor and some of them he didn't even bother reacting to anymore. Was she the slightly battered nickel that wasn't worth picking up? The urge to smack herself hit her, she was offended more at her own thoughts than anything. Why was she comparing herself to spare change? She was being ludicrous. But she did feel slightly bad for Caroline, who'd probably gone to some trouble finding something nice for Bonnie to impress Kai with, and look-barely a reaction.

Granted, they were facing serious problems, and under-appreciation of intimate wear wasn't one of them.

He was being a good ally. That was all.

"What did they use?" he asked, patting gently around the healing skin.

"I don't know the weapon. But we saw the woman for a few minutes. It's- _she_ -is a mess. Black magic got to her."

"Fucking hell, Bonnie," he said unevenly. "You see, what did I say about you and your friends? I can't leave you guys alone for anything."

She was trying to place the moment when she'd been stabbed and felt something rip out. "I think whatever they used was some kind of needle, it didn't feel like a knife." Her voice was filled with remorse. "When I grabbed the woman with my magic, I felt that blood sample disappear. Someone ported it out. A couple minutes later, so did the woman."

He dropped his face into his hands, rubbing roughly as he groaned into them, the muffled sound of infuriation filling their small space. She quickly used the chance to shoot up and away from him, straightening her dress as she stood and crossed to the other side to give herself room.

"I'm sorry. Look, I wanted to try something, if you can help me."

"Bonnie," he said, standing too and eating up the space she'd created between them. He pulling her against him, wrapped her in his arms, and hugged her. And it felt wonderful all over again. But it wasn't okay for him to be like this with her. Very gingerly, she eased herself out. Under the light of her magic, his features were looking too damn...vulnerable. This was bad, in every way.

"Good looking out," she said awkwardly, patting his shoulder in a friendly manner. "Thanks."

Something flared in his eyes then, and he moved forward, a familiar look crossing his face, the one that signaled he was going for it, he would kiss her now, and she wanted to let him, her body was practically singing for it.

"Kai, we need to get to the car," she said in a rush.

He stopped. "What?"

"The getaway car," she said. "Earlier, I loaded all of my things there. Including my grimoires that I brought, my supplies. There's a specific spell that can link me back to my blood. Maybe while we're at it, we can draw the she-creature out to us."

His jaw was still working as he stared at her intensely. "Or I can just track down the ones responsible and make the punishment fit the crime."

"Including anyone from your coven? Because that's what we're looking at."

"Yes."

The expression on his face didn't waver, not once, and her heart skipped a beat. "No, too dangerous. Too soon."

He chuckled then, mirthlessly. "Too soon?" he repeated. "You'd rather we draw it out til after the cake?"

"Come on, Kai," she said coaxingly. "I'm still following your rules. Let's play bait together and see if we can handle this without any more blood on our hands."

"A little late for that, they already took yours so I'm not inclined to be generous, Bonnie."

She felt the tiniest bit shattered just then, and almost couldn't take looking him in the face. Her legs felt shaky, a little weak, because of how he was staring. It was too much. Without waiting for him, she moved to the door and opened it, stepping out and breathing in air that wasn't saturated with his potent magic and the even more suffocating tension that lingered anytime they were together.

"How 'bout another deal?" he asked, his voice near her ear, his body pressed against her back.

She turned her head slightly, not quite looking at him, but peeking under her lashes and sensing his gaze roaming her features yearningly.

"After we do this spell, you tell me about the happier versions of us that Maggie showed you."

Bonnie blinked. Had she really left them out? Yes. On purpose? She wasn't sure. How did he know they even existed?

"Or not." He nudged her gently out the door, closing it behind them, making sure his body slid against hers as he did so, his hands firm around her waist. "I can always get Maggie to spill."

Of that she had no doubt, but the fact that he wanted to make a deal out of it couldn't bode well. She guessed that he would latch on to any of those happier worlds, while dismissing the others that ended horribly for them.

"Now, where's your damn car?" he asked impatiently, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the side exit.

She was in a for real fight here and didn't have any energy left to give him one. Didn't much want to, either. Reluctantly eyeing their joined hands, she followed him.

* * *

 **A/N:** It kind of killed me to write this, and the next chapter I'm on is the same-but in a good way. Thanks for reading and the feedback, everyone. Seriously, you guys are awesome sauce. Glad the last chapter went over well. I don't write for a living, but when I was younger I used to wish I could. And now y'all are making me regret a little bit my actual career path. I love writing, and I'm so happy that Bonkai came around because I had a good five years worth of block that didn't let me get past even just a page. So even if TVD didn't handle them right, these two characters just meeting feels like serendipity. Although probably canon Bonnie and Kai wouldn't agree LOL. :)


	22. Chapter 22

**Rated M**

 _CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO_

His suspicions were right. Bonnie was going to bolt at the first sign of him losing his mind. Or her losing hers.

Honestly, he suspected his had already disappeared at some point over the weekend. The evidence was here in how he had let his sister marry a werewolf. One who was friends with a vampire that he hadn't killed but allowed to crash the wedding, and a Bennett witch that, instead of treating like his worst enemy, he was panting after like he was in junior high all over again, and whom, instead of guarding all of his secrets against, he had invited to traipse around in his damn mind, like her own personal amusement park.

And there were people he should be tracking down to maim, since Bonnie wouldn't let him murder them. He had an idea of where to start. As soon as she mentioned the woman who was likely possessed by dark magic, a seed of suspicion had taken root, and grown. But first, he wanted to see what this spell of Bonnie's was. As cautious as she seemed to be about most things, there was a rashness in her that made him automatically distrust her schemes-more specifically, the last minutes ones, where she was put under pressure, and her typical response was to put her neck on the line. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before from anyone else. Her ancestors were probably arguing amongst themselves now, over which one should get resurrected long enough to throttle some sense into this latest member of the ancient family.

So here he was, wandering the grounds with her like they were out on a normal romantic moonlight walk, just to make sure this woman wasn't rushing headlong into another stupid plan that would end poorly for her.

Making their way across the grounds, the evening sky shone clear and bright on their forms as they walked. Several times Bonnie got stuck, cursing because the heels of her sandals were spiked, stabbing through the soft grass beneath their feet. Eventually she stopped, her hand automatically leaning against him for support, as she stooped at the waist and took off her shoes. Her dress hiked up, obscenely so, and he closed his eyes in aggravation before looking away because he was so fucking tired of the torture.

For once, his ability to find humor in all situations was absent.

Probably, at this point, due to the worst case of blueballs to ever hit him.

Dangling her shoes from her hand, they moved further along the clearing leading to the edge of the ward. The new moon was out, a thin sliver of a thing, and here he had to give credit to Bonnie and the gang, for thinking well ahead and making sure this wedding didn't happen on a full moon.

They walked out of the ward, Bonnie leading the way as she frowned at a particular spot. Closing her eyes briefly, she waved a hand, and then a black sedan materialized.

She turned and gave him a smile, gesturing gracefully as she walked backwards to the car. "Ta-da, getaway."

He wondered why she sounded so happy; the smile he returned was forced. "Great. How very prepared of you."

"What's wrong?" she asked.

The inherent problem with a getaway car? That Bonnie would get away. But how to tell her this, without scaring her off...it was a conundrum.

Years had passed since his grandfather died, and Kai had been so sure he would never have to worry about those awful tides of grief drowning him ever again because he knew there wasn't another person left to feel that way over. Maggie he cared about, but his existence wasn't tied to hers, not like Kai's had been to his grandfather's.

The thought of Bonnie walking away, and seeing her only here and there, just for business-the way she seemed to want. That would be a new kind of loss, he already knew. And fuck if he knew how to cope this time.

He stared at her quietly, as she fumbled in her little wristlet and found a tiny key. She used it to unlock the door, and clambered in, careful, he saw, not to flash him her panties in the process.

Not that it signified, because her little bra and panty set were already seared into his mind, along with the miles of smooth, silky, dusky skin that his fingers were shaking to explore. He did fucking fantastic earlier, hiding his reaction. First he'd been worried, enough that her pretty much naked body was inches from his mouth and it only distantly registered, because his priority had been making sure her stubborn Bennett ass was hex-free. And then after that got squared, he'd just been...struck a little dumb, having her right there for the taking, but unable to actually take. Possibly one of the hardest moments of his life, literally and figuratively. But he'd done his damndest not to show it, in case it spooked her. So he'd just patted her skin clinically and spoken to her in his best 'it's all business' tone, which didn't hadn't come out as shaky as he expected.

Pushing his luck was a hobby of his, but when it came to Bonnie, he knew there were definite limits he had to acknowledge. And he liked to push them anyway, but just right now-he could wait.

He was just happy that she had uncloaked herself. That really had thrown him, in the best way, seeing her materialize, still in that chair, instead of creeping along the walls trying to run away. And without any sharp objects to throw at him, either, her deep green gaze filled with not loathing, like he'd feared, but this sad kind of anger and exhaustion that he wanted to erase with his touch, and his time.

If she would let him, if she could just find a way to move past Maggie's damn visions of them, and she could get over his coven, and he could get past her friends, and they could both work through all the million obstacles that lay between them.

Already, he knew he could. All those problems-he really could give less of a fuck. And there was no trick, no easy solution to them, but time with his grandfather had taught him patience and also, to stop and smell the damn roses, even when surrounded by piles of shit in every direction. A rare ability, that, but so incredibly useful, and he was eternally grateful to Theo Parker for many things, but that easily made top five.

The lesson was obviously one that Bonnie had never learned, and he was desperate to be the one to teach her. They would have a lot of fun.

Gripped with longing once again, he almost gave himself an aneurism to snap out of it. They had a lot to do, and he needed to get it together. He was sick of himself like this. If he could go back in time two days, Friday's version of himself would probably punch him in the face, and he would welcome it.

"Kai?"

He found Bonnie peering out, grimoires, scrolls, and artifacts already strewn around her on the seat.

Oh, this was all kinds of an awesome, horrible idea. Close quarters with Bonnie, with nowhere to go and potentially no interruptions, her in that dress, him with his blueballs. And no fun of any kind, just magic work. And a possible creature of the week to expect crashing their little car party. And who knew what else at this point-maybe a stray comet, to crash down right over their heads, since apparently that was the kind of day they were having.

His humor suddenly reasserted itself, and he grinned because at least if he couldn't have the type of fun with her that he wanted so bad it was starting to hurt-then he was going to inflict similar agony on her.

He climbed in, and shut the door. He threw a lazy glance at her, his eyes lingering on her bare legs, while nonchalantly his fingers picked through the items around her.

Two could play this game.

"What am I looking at?" he asked, keeping his voice low while he bent forward, making sure his face was all earnestness, as his fingers grazed her bare thigh peeking out from one of the tomes.

She picked up one set of scrolls without looking up, her face on the massive text in her lap.

"Ingredients," she said, her voice completely unbothered as her eyes flew over the pages. She only looked up to nod at the duffel between the front seats. "Most of them are in there, but you might need to conjure some."

And then she shifted, adjusting so her legs were now tucked under her, that damn dress riding up more as she flipped the page.

 _Oh, Bonnie. Let me fuck your brains out, you little bookworm. Please?_

He didn't care if that creature showed up just then, or any other goddamn spy. He would light their asses on fire without even trying too hard, allowing nothing to disrupt his quest to get Bonnie under him-over him-whichever way, as long as he was inside her.

She turned then, eyeing him like he had grown two heads. "Are you gonna get started?"

"Bossy much?" he mumbled, then reached for the scroll.

She was combining several spells, her notes on the margins on the scrolls in hasty but pretty cursive outlining what looked like a mix of absorption, transference, and linking spells. Running his eyes along her notes, he quickly memorized her amalgamated incantation, before gathering the ingredients. He found the candles, salt, and stones in her duffle, along with vials of animal blood, and an antique chalice with the letters SB inscribed on the heavy base. His magic spiked nervously at the initials, and that brought her head up.

Her eyes landed on him holding the chalice, studying the initials. A frown crossed her face.

"You hate my Grams so much that even her personal items threaten you?"

"Why is it every time I'm alone with you," he drawled, flicking a heated gaze her way, "instead of having sex, we just keep metaphorically stabbing each other with bad history?" Reaching out with casual fingers, he traced around her neck and the edge of her bust line beneath the sheer lace of her dress. "Even ones that haven't happened in this world? Even ones that didn't happen between us?"

"I told you everything, Kai. Can I get some answers, too?"

"Oh-ho, don't even try that. I know you didn't tell me everything." He leaned in then, intently. "It'd probably take months before I even got past the surface of the iceberg that is Bonnie Bennett." He smiled. "Good thing I'm patient."

Her stubborn ass was still not rising to his bait, and he started to rethink his plan because it was getting to him more than it was her. She put her book aside-actually put it aside, and he swallowed anxiously and also from excitement. He could turn this in his favor.

He leaned back again, feigning calm as he surveyed a scroll.

"What did my grandmother do to you?" she asked.

His eyes continued running along the parchment, and then he said, "Shh. I'm concentrating here."

She snatched the parchment away, assessing what he'd gathered so far, before studying the scroll hurriedly. Then she closed her eyes, whispering in Latin. She sounded fairly fluent, impressive for someone her age, and with her self-taught background. Before he knew it, the remaining ingredients materialized. A vial of crystallized onyx, vial of quicksilver, patchouli oil, and a bottle of leeches.

He eyed the quicksilver for long moments, as Bonnie flipped quickly through a few more pages.

"You keep leeches in your home?" he finally asked, guessing that's where the items had come from, since that had just about been the quickest conjuring he'd ever seen performed.

She shrugged, giving him a 'who doesn't?' look, this woman who was prepared for every damn little thing, so wound up tightly with control.

He was aroused all over again, and grabbed a tome to plant on his lap to hide it.

She was angry now, really bothered, in a completely different way from him. Her gaze zeroed in on all of the ingredients, and they floated neatly in the air. She spared him a dismissive glance, before she clambered out of the car, her ingredients marching behind her like orderly soldiers. He stepped out as well, because he'd come here to help and wasn't about to let her freeze him out. The night air was a welcome change from the car, where the atmosphere had thickened with unresolved tension and his own magic practically bursting at the seams. Hers was still veiled, and he could only imagine what it might have added to the car, if it were freed. There would probably not even _be_ a car, at that point.

His hand shot out, a finger pointed downwards, tracing a circle in the air. The grass began to mimic the shape.

She stopped him.

 _That_ made him mad. Nobody interrupted him when he was mid-cast.

"Not a pentagram circle," she muttered, her own finger waving, replacing the star with a trefoil knot. "It's a triquetra."

His face burned, as he watched the grass correct itself. The last time he'd goofed on a spell had been, oh, when he was eighteen, and he'd done it on purpose, to anger his grandfather and Maggie when they were trying to make him perform like a dutiful monkey at one of Maggie's coven shindigs. It had been one of his first forays into polite company after spending so long in timeout with Theo. It hadn't gone well.

This, now, didn't seem like it would fare any better.

Bonnie eyed him doubtfully. "Why'd I even bring you with me?" she muttered, almost to herself.

He bristled at that, but then quickly stepped close, his nose touching her temple. "Starting to wonder, too, Bon. You've pretty much done everything yourself. Maybe you just couldn't stand being apart from me anymore?"

She pushed him with one hand, but he didn't budge.

"Shh," she mocked. "I'm concentrating here."

"Am I driving you batty?" Good. She could join him.

"Make my life easier, just sit down there," she tilted her chin down to a nearby spot, "and memorize the incantation."

"Already did."

She'd been on the verge of saying something, but that made her pause, and he caught it-that rapid glint of something in her eyes that signaled unbridled appreciation. Usually women wore that look in response to his charm, or his nudity, or his ability to give them multiple orgasms, or sometimes, with another witch, his display of magic. Leave it to Bonnie to respond to a different attribute, one he couldn't remember any other woman really displaying the same kind of enjoyment towards: his smarts.

It drew a smirk from him, as he leaned his chest into her hand.

"Like that, huh?" he said cockily. "Beauty and brains, all packaged up in one powerful warlock. And completely at your service, Bon."

Her eyes rolled upward in exasperation. "If you're so smart, you wouldn't be stalling me."

"Yeah, but I wanted to feel your hand on my chest."

She zapped him with her magic then, and he took it, his face pinched as the tiny shot of power stung him, should have pushed him back at least several feet. Instead he closed his hand over her wrist, and offered his magic up to her. "Fine," he said through gritted teeth. "But if I'm doing this, lift your veil."

"What?"

"We're far enough away from everyone, and I'll even cloak the area around us. I just want to see it-your magic at work."

She frowned at him, like he'd just asked her to undress. Theoretically, he had, in a way, but she did as requested, lifting her veil with a dubious glance around, her essence flaring up and out. He stared at it unblinkingly for several moments, before smiling at her.

"Pretty," he said cheekily.

With a glower, she allowed his hold her on her to remain, and drew his power to hers. He held his breath, feeling sweetly bereft, as her magic wound his deftly around itself in the air, settling over the circle. He kept his word, tossing out a cloaking shield above and around them, while she closed her eyes again, and swept a hand around. Immediately the field brightened from her aura mixing sensually with his.

Jesus, and he wasn't even trying to seduce her right now.

The candles and the stones set themselves first along the edge of the circle, followed by the patchouli oil and crystallized onyx tracing the lines of the interlaced triquetra. Within the center of the trefoil knot, her grandmother's chalice floated down, quicksilver and animal blood mixing themselves within. Four leeches then latched themselves against the side of the chalice, each one facing a cardinal direction. Finally, the rock salt completed the circle, pouring around the lines on the outside, and on the triquetra.

It was finished within seconds, their combined power making quick work of prep, and neither of them breaking into a sweat, the process short and smooth and generally not hard at all, the one exception to it being his erection. Achingly, annoyingly hard, that. Of course. He turned away from her, focusing on something unsexy to will it down, found a squirrel munching on an acorn a few yards away, and that worked, distracted him long enough that his pants de-tented.

She'd missed it, thankfully, busy with figuring out placement within the circle. When she moved to sit, he stayed her with a hand. Shrugging off his jacket, he folded it and then placed it on the ground, and she looked at it in confusion until she realized that he meant for her to use it as her seat.

The weirdest look crossed her face, and he laughed, relieving a little of his current erratic temper.

"Yeah, Bonnie, I'm capable of chivalry." Brows lifted, he widened his eyes mockingly. "Imagine that."

But she was strangely quiet as she looked up at him, while seating herself on his jacket. "Thanks," she said, more softly.

Her lashes lowered, making him wonder what was going through her mind, as her fingers rested along the lapels. He wished he could trade places with it. One day, she was going to sit on his face that way-or maybe not exactly that way. She would be straddling him. And screaming his name. The thought lifted his mood.

"None of your exes have manners?" he couldn't resist taunting, if only to distract himself from his thoughts.

"Jeremy's not so bad," she said in measured tones, seating herself on his jacket. "Except when he hunts vampires."

His nostrils flared. Fucking hated the guy already, whoever he was.

And then her words registered. "Your ex-boyfriend is a vampire hunter?"

Now that really improved his mood, and he could even think of her ex favorably for a second there. It meant there was hope.

"I grew up with him. His sister is one of my best friends. She was a doppelganger, now turned vampire."

She smiled brightly, and his spirits plummeted.

"Have I mentioned?" she asked. "My mom is a vampire, too."

"Goddammit, Bonnie." He swallowed thickly. "What're you trying to do?"

"The spell," she said firmly. "That's all."

Then she grabbed his hands, and drew him down to sit also. But she moved him around, careful that he didn't disrupt the lines on the trefoil knot. He let her shift him several times, her tiny hands guiding him by his biceps.

"You know, if you're so concerned about positioning," he said with a serious face, "I have a few ideas on me and you later."

She paused, her mouth dropping slightly, the tiniest hint of rose on her cheeks.

 _Oh, God, look at her_ , his brain went. She was so ready. He was beyond ready. His approach hadn't been wrong, there was an answering flash of desperate hunger in her eyes that reflected everything he was carrying himself, for her. All for her.

Their magic alone would have won this war for him. If she would just stop fucking fighting all the small battles. And maybe he could stop goading her, that might help his case, too.

"I-I was joking," he stammered. "Bonnie-"

"Just shut up, Kai," she said, grasping his hands then and closing her eyes, beginning the incantation.

Almost immediately, their magic careened in a familiar, volatile dance, wind whipping the leaves furiously around them. He closed his eyes, too, because he didn't want to see her face right now, or her magic. It was enough to just feel her skin on his, her power fused with his. He could stay like this for days, and never know hunger or dehydration or fatigue. So fucking incredible. From behind closed lids, he sensed their magic lighting up around them. His body felt turned inside out and upside down, a roller coaster ride of electrically heated currents that gave him weightlessness, made him feel like he could defy gravity. And then he felt the spell at work, and their magic settled into it, focusing on her blood. It remained whole and untouched in its container-thank God.

He started sweating when he felt his own blood being taken from him, seeping out through a spot on his side. The spell was reliving the moment when Bonnie had lost hers. Another beat, and the leeches went to work, his skin crawling with the feel of them, except instead of taking from him, it felt like they were injecting something into his body. The essence of Bonnie's blood, being linked back to her, and because he was channeling her, he could feel what she felt.

Moments later, he sensed a shift and opened his eyes. Around their forms and just outside the triquetra was a small wind tunnel with their magic serving as a wall, crackling and carrying small debris. The chalice glowed brightly, and smoke dissipated out from it, quicksilver and animal blood evaporating, coiling threads of their magic weaving the mist up and outwards, forming an arc. He slitted his eyes at Bonnie, watched her face grow tense, and then he snaked out a tendril of power and lightning quick, unbalanced her, nudging her out of focus, as his voice picked up the incantation. His magic latched on to the final portion of the spell, and the mist veered off course, away from Bonnie and towards him. With a satisfied smile, he welcomed the nausea and awful grip of pain, quick and merciless, consuming his body. Before the maelstrom of wind and color disappeared, Bonnie's power surged, trying to overpower his, but it was too late.

It all faded away, leaving the clearing dark and lonely once again.

With the spell complete, he reined his magic back in, and felt her doing the same. Their chests heaving, faces drenched, they slowly stood. With obvious and barely contained fury, she carefully pulled his jacket up and then flung it harshly across his chest.

"Ow," he deadpanned, not bothering to put it back on.

The thin sliver of moon shone through the branches, casting soft light on her face as she seethed at him.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, low and angry.

A sheen of sweat around her brows glistened tantalizingly. He resisted a fierce yearning to lick it off, the need to touch her so strong he had to clench his fists. There was an answering gleam in her eyes, that he wished meant she wanted to do the same to him, but more than likely just indicated that she wanted to turn his intestines to acid.

"Gee, I wonder. There's you, probably roping me into a powerful spell that will end up hurting you." He shrugged. "And here's me, and I think we established earlier that sometimes I can be a gentleman. Are you really gonna get your panties in a bunch that I took a hit for you?"

"Damn you, Kai. Don't make decisions for me."

"No, no, the proper reply would be 'oh, thanks so much, Kai. You're so thoughtful. How can I show my gratitude?' And I would totally say, 'well, pretty lady, a kiss is a good start.'"

She suddenly deflated. "I cast a protection spell on myself earlier, I wouldn't have gotten hurt." Then she started pacing. "I wouldn't really have gotten sick. Just mimicked the symptoms."

He'd suspected as much. Though she'd couched it as a spell, it was really mixed in with a mild curse. Linking of blood was always a tell, and once he noticed the quicksilver, he guessed that would be what she used as a transfer, although he couldn't figure out why.

"Don't worry about it. I can take it." Then a part of his brain went into active mode. "Why even choose quicksilver?"

Her eyes glinted angrily. "We don't have much time. Whoever's handling that blood, needed to get sick real quick, real bad. Once my blood was linked back to me, the chalice served as the vessel to transfer the mixture, and after it passed through you and ended up in the vial carrying my real blood, it became a dormant homing beacon."

His brows raised. "Homing beacon?

She shrugged. "It'll activate as soon as they use my blood for anything. Our bad guy will start walking funny, trembling, and just generally acting wonky."

"That'll be half our guests who are drunk."

"The homing beacon will draw you to him."

While making him ill. Awesome.

"So you did this, knowing that it would make you sick yourself?" he asked, completely ticked. "There are other spells-"

"Well, unlike you, I didn't spend two decades with my own personal mystical Yoda. So I don't know those damn spells-yet. Okay?"

"You could've asked me," he said hoarsely.

"What's the problem here, Kai? We're witches. Every spell we do runs a risk. Quit it with this thing you're doing. I'm not made of glass."

He was shaking a little, from anger and residue of magic-sharing, and the spell itself. Was her blood being used even now?

"Anyway, I could've healed myself." She sighed. I guess we'll just heal you instead. Except more people are watching you here. So I would've been the better receiver for the beacon."

Oh. Why hadn't he thought of that? She made a good argument there. Blood rushing to his face, he hoped his damn ears that always betrayed him weren't flushed. Maybe he might've goofed here. Oh, well. At least he wouldn't have to watch her have seizures.

"Ever think you might be a little masochistic with your powers?" he asked nonchalantly. "I mean, is that your thing? You get off inflicting pain on yourself, Bon?"

Her jaw clenched then, her eyes murderous in their intent.

"We do what we have to, right?" Then she cast up a smile that was all bite. "And anyway, I have vampire friends who can feed me their blood when my magic has an off moment. Not to mention, a vampire mom. Think I mentioned that earlier."

She stepped back inside the car and shut the door before he could answer.

And he was left, blinking lividly, her attempts to provoke him working a slow burn across his vision.

He threw himself inside it also, glaring at her while she packed away her things. His magic shot out, and chucked everything to the front of the car, instantly clearing the space between them. Shoving himself into her space, he fumed and she gave it back, her head angled in defiance, her breath warm on his cheek.

"Stop trying to piss me off, Bonnie."

"Don't treat me like I'm your damn sidekick, Kai."

She had a point. Just on raw power alone, she possibly outclassed him, even with the Gemini spirits in his corner. But while she was creative, what would hobble her was an approach that leaned too much towards all guns-blazing, Wild West cowboy. For the most part, those things never worked out. Far better to be sneaky. Precisely how he managed to outmaneuver her.

"Tell me about my grandmother. Why do you hate my family?"

"Why do you care so much? It doesn't even matter."

"It does! If my Grams did something to hurt you, it matters."

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Her attitude changed suddenly, and she was going to backtrack now, he could read it in the lines of her body, as she backed further into her side of the door. "Never mind."

"Oh, suddenly you're backing down?"

"You're right. I should drop it. Not my business."

He laughed softly, then. "No, no. Let's keep going."

"Forget I said it. "

"If I tell you where your Grams gave me a boo boo, are you gonna kiss it all better?"

Her hands went up to cover her face, he suspected so that she scream into them, but she remained quiet. It made him smirk, so massive was that wave of aggravation pouring out of her. Not one bit did he feel guilty about it, not even a little.

"We have other things to worry about, Kai."

"Right. So I was thinking I should be the one handling it from here on out. I have a good lead now anyway. Maybe you should take a step back, you and your friends are clearly rusty."

She dropped her hands, her head shaking back and forth quickly, as she drew away, stunned. "You...have a _lead_?" she asked, the last word practically a squeak. "Why the _hell_ didn't you tell me that earlier?"

He scoffed. "Isn't this rich? You have the nerve to sound offended that I kept you in the dark about something. Wow." He sniffed the air. "You getting that? Kinda reeks, right? Yeah, that's the smell of hypocrisy. Yours."

She had the grace to flush slightly, and look down.

"Kai, we're wasting time," she finally said evenly. "What's this lead? You know who's controlling that woman? She needs help."

"You're insane. They took your blood. Who knows what kind of danger you're in? And you're worried about some stranger who actually hurt you."

"She's not to blame."

He had to laugh, he had to, otherwise he could've possibly choked her pretty little neck just then. Instead he threw his head against the back of the seats, staring up at the roof of the car.

"True, because this is all kind of your fault."

"Ugh. Screw you, Kai."

"Oh, Bonnie," he said thickly, his voice sounding strangled. "If only."

She shifted, and when he turned his head it was in time to catch her expression changing again. Their magic by this point had created an unbearably dense atmosphere in the car, and he could barely breathe was how tense it all was. Their powers needed ventilation, and he was fairly sure the only way to do that was denied to him.

Which is why he stared, shocked and totally stupefied, when she leaned in close, drawing her knees under her. His body faced hers instantly, their chests touching.

"Okay, I will. Then after, we track down your lead. Deal?"

Her voice was low, soft-oh, God-everything he wanted to hear from her. She was rubbing against him, and he let her manipulate him in the worst way. What kind of fucked up situation was this, and why couldn't he stop it?

"So, whaddaya say?" she asked carefully, and there it was. She bit her lip. He lunged forward but then, a millimeter away from her mouth, groaned and squeezed his eyes shut.

"No deal, Bon," he begged. "Please, don't do this."

"Thought you wanted me?"

Oh, fuck. This girl. His erection strained towards her.

"There's the proof," she whispered. He opened her eyes to find her smiling triumphantly down at it. "Go ahead. Take me."

"Bonnie," he whispered, then tore his eyes away, keeping them on the window because that maddening full mouth was so near, and for once her eyes held nothing back, all of his own crazed need reflected in their lush green depths.

This was everything he'd wanted for the last forty-eight hours. And she was all that he'd probably needed his whole fucking life. But she was offering it on her terms, ones he didn't want any part of. To have her, she was asking to piggyback on his hunt. While he trusted her power, he questioned her judgment.

He had to turn her down.

Then he felt her withdraw.

"Don't-don't worry about it, okay?" With a finger on his chin, she turned his face back to hers. "I take it back."

"What?"

"I'll follow my own lead, with or without you. You know I'll find a way."

That-didn't much sound like improvement.

She drew back, but now his hands kept her in place. Oh, Jesus. They were so close. She was right there. Why hadn't he just said yes, and lied, and then after having sex-finally-he could've tied her up magically at his apartment, to wait for the night to end quiet and safe? And later, when he got back home and found her there, pissed off, that would've been okay, even if she hated him, because hate sex with her would be fucking fantastic, he imagined. She could hate him as often and as loud and in as many different positions as she wanted, and he would've eaten it all up. Eaten her all up.

His thoughts made his dick twitch madly. And meanwhile he still held her trapped.

"Just," and he made an effort not to pant, "just stay. Please?"

His hands skimmed under her dress, up her inner thighs, and he felt her, warm and moist and ready, and his mind howled.

Just staring at each other had their magic spiking out in unison, wending and waving around. Tendrils snaked out of the car, and soon they were cocooned.

Her eyes were still unfettered, longing shining from them, and he knew his was worse, so much worse, because he wasn't capable of muting himself much when it came to her. His fingers pressed into her hips, tight and possessive. "Let's just," he shook his head. "We're entitled to a short rest. Yeah?"

"Rest," she said, her voice throaty. "Is that what they're calling it these days?"

He cupped the back of her head and drew her down for a kiss.

They opened their mouths to each other, hunger and need driving out all finesse. They had waited too damn long for this to be smooth.

"One time," she gasped, when his fingers slipped under the crotch of her panties, and slid inside her folds. "Just to get it out of our system."

She broke off the buttons on his shirt and trailed kisses on his chest as her hips arched into his fingers. Oh, definitely a sopping wet mess, just like he'd guessed.

"Okay," he said, his voice cracking when she grazed her tongue on his nipple.

His vision faded in and out, quickly, and then he threw her against the seat, crouched low, and buried his face between her thighs. Probably premature, but right just then he couldn't stop himself-he shoved the crotch of her panties out of the way, and jammed his tongue inside her folds, taking a long, lasting lick, exactly like he'd been dying to these last two days.

She fucking tasted like heaven.

"Oh, God," she moaned, her thighs first clenching his head in place as she arched up violently. His mouth kneaded at her folds, and he slipped his fingers back inside, her legs falling open, as he stroked one hand along her pliant skin. He blew gently against her clit, following it up with wild, hot strokes of his tongue, while his mouth sucked her lips. Her hips bucked, her fingers grabbing helplessly at his hair.

Distantly, awe set in, because this was really happening, he had finally done it-Bonnie was letting go, and confirmation came in the form of their magic throwing out a dangerous, rhythmic beat, the force of it rattling the car.

This sedan was such a flimsy thing, he realized dimly, them having sex here was going to slaughter it.

Just the taste of her in his mouth-his brain was on the verge of exploding, his penis throbbed, his magic pounded. All that, before even taking off his damn pants. He closed his eyes, trying for a small shred of control.

Raising his head, he caught her staring down at him. teeth tucked into her bottom lip, indignation in her eyes because he'd stopped. Without thought he slid up, meaning to kiss her, but she used her powers to shove him off her, back to a sitting position.

"Don't even think about it, Bonnie," he warned gruffly. "That was just the opening ceremony."

She chuckled-low and throaty, like a damn sex kitten, and his dick jumped again.

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," she said, and climbed into his lap.

Their faces crashed together in a feral kiss. He shoved his tongue fervently inside her mouth so she could taste herself, while his other hand slipped under his pants, his wet fingers rubbing her juices along his length. His other hand found the zipper on her dress, trying not to rip it off, this slip of loveliness that she wore so well and he'd been so fond of seeing her in. Before, when he imagined getting her out of it, he'd thought to disintegrate it off her, but now that it wore her blood, he wanted to preserve it. But she was impatient, and then in the sexiest fucking way, she pulled the entire dress off, her bra pressed into his face as her back arched with the effort to toss it off her head. He leaned in, breaking the clasp of her bra, sighing happily as her breasts spilled out.

Her drenched panties were new, none of it had any telltale wear, but he'd known this earlier. Like a fiend, he hoped that she'd bought it new for him, but that was probably expecting too much.

"I like," he said, stretching the waistband with an index finger, as his mouth laved over her nipple.

"I was coerced into them."

"You know, I might be persuaded to change my mind about vampires, too," and just then he was half-serious.

He kissed her again, because he'd messed up there, bringing up that topic, and now he needed to chase the sadness from her answering smile.

In seconds, all her clothes except her panties littered the floor. He was playing with her breasts still, while his other hand had slipped once more inside her, fingers dipped in and out, spreading wetness there as he pumped halfway in, just enough to tease her. Earlier when he'd fingered her in his room, the gloves covered his rings, and now that his hands were bare, his ring was inside her, the magic in them sending little jolts against her most intimate walls. Her entire body went loose-limbed above him, and he supported her with firm hands, as her mouth partly opened and her head rolled forward. Soft sighs filled his ear.

The car began creaking again, the force of their joined magic swaying it.

She lifted up when he moved to take his pants off, and helped him by shoving his boxers along with it, her hands trailing along his thighs when she resumed her straddle, his penis straining into her.

"Give me a sec," he said raggedly. "Gotta conjure up a condom."

She lifted her hand, holding one out. Had she packed it in her bags?

"Yes, I pack some," she said, reading his face correctly with a small laugh. "You never know. Don't tell me I need to stroke your ego. Should I mention the box in my nightstand is still pretty full?"

Biting it open, she slipped it out of its wrapper. He didn't care right then if it was empty or full, just as long as she had one for him to use and that she put it on him.

Even that she did too well, one-handed, sliding it slowly and snugly over him, his erection desperate for her touch. A stray bolt of his power zinged around, burning part of the upholstery, as his magic frantically jumped out of his skin.

"Bonnie," he said, hoarsely. "You-I can't-" he closed his eyes, mania under his skin.

"Shh, I know."

She helped his shaky fingers slide her panties down, and then used one leg only to unwrap herself, like a goddamn birthday present for him. The sight of the tiny bit of silk still attached to her one ankle nearly did him in.

"We get it out of our system," she said softly, repeating it like a mantra.

Growling, he clutched her hips and thrust inside her, at the same moment she used her knees to crash down on him, impaling herself, their combined effort pushing him deeply in. The entire car vibrated again, metal squealing, their powers spiraling out in a wild rhythm. Their groans filled the cabin in unison, and he gripped her ass and hips, enjoying how his rough hands wrapped around her supple skin.

She rode him slowly at first, her breasts close enough to lick and suckle, which he did repeatedly, squeezing their plumpness and wishing he had more hands. He couldn't see anything but her face and their entwined bodies, and the thick tendrils of erratic power all around them.

They wouldn't last long.

One of her hands rested against of the ceiling of the car, as she leaned back and grinded herself even harder into him, bouncing faster. His tongue continued to lap at her nipples, looking between her breasts to where his penis pistoned into her. She moaned incoherently, biting her lip with her head thrown back. A fine layer of sweat from their friction broke out on both their bodies, and he leaned in to taste her, suckling at the juncture between her neck and shoulder, her breasts rubbing up and down his chest as he felt her walls constrict, squeezing him in rhythm.

"Kai," she gasped, her lashes fluttering. She leaned in then, her teeth finding his shoulder, and bit him hard, her walls milking him at the same time. She was moaning, shuddering, and oh, God-he didn't want to come yet. He was close, but he wanted more from her.

He grunted and then suddenly shifted them, her mid-climax. "Told you I had ideas," he panted.

He plopped her on her back on the seat, and pounded into her furiously. Never mind that the car seats in the front had just been ripped off their hinges to make more room in the back for their rutting bodies.

His predator was out, had gotten a taste, and now he needed a longer one. She lay writhing beneath him, her aftershocks egging his dick on, her breasts pressed tightly together, and he used one hand to try to wrap around them both, and another to lift one of her legs over his shoulder, for a different angle, hoping distantly that he wasn't ripping her in half. He just needed-couldn't help it-but to get as far in as he could.

Drenched in sweat and grunting, driving into her unforgiving, his fingers buried into her waist, in a small corner of his brain drifted the thought that if he got any further in, he might as well be merging with her.

He wanted to be careful, looked her over to see if it was too much, but her hands were on his back and his ass, nails scratching him deeply, making his blood burn worse as magic whirled out of him like a wild storm. But Bonnie was okay-more than okay, she was panting and moaning, and needing as much as he did, to be lost in it. He slid his fingers back inside her for another feel because she was incredibly slick now in there, on the cusp of another climax, and Bonnie pushed over the edge of reason was something he would never get tired of.

Her cries spiked up in need, and sweat dripped down his brow, onto the plump swell of one breast. He buried himself insanely deep, leaning down to bite and suck where that drop had landed on her skin. She gasped, and he muffled it with a kiss, his tongue stabbing at hers. His hands molded roughly around her breasts, pinching her nipples as he kept picking up his pace, parts of the car now breaking off under his assault.

Her voice hitched, letting out a low keening moan, as her head fell back. "Ohh."

This was what he'd been imagining, the chance to ram into her, coarse, unchecked and undisturbed, and swallowing her moans. The reality of it filled him with wild giddiness, and a part of him thought maybe he should take a moment here and relish it. It gave him the chance to move a little slower, sliding himself out all the way to his tip. But Bonnie slammed her tongue into his mouth, her hands gripping his hips and nails scraping painfully into his skin as she shoved his length back in, brutally, her fingers molded tightly around his ass.

"Bonnie," he groaned, and he buried his face in her breasts, abandoning the idea of slowing it down, as he went right back to pumping wildly.

Their bodies grew slicker, as he lost himself, feeling like her own personal battering ram.

Her walls started contracting again, and she cried out his name, her eyes closed, head thrown back as her magic shot out in a heated, pulsing wave, black and gold at turns blinding and bleak. His shoulder felt singed, and the windows and windshields cracked and shattered, and all the while he kept hammering into her, covering her body, protecting her from the falling glass while his magic threw out a shield around them. He was sure more of the car would break, soon. Her hand moved between them, her fingernails grazing his length as he pumped in and out, manic.

"Oh, fuck," he choked out, voice guttural. Squeezing his eyes shut as pressure built and his hearing dimmed, he thrust once, twice, on the third time her name ripping from his throat as he buried himself all the way to the hilt, and then he spasmed, pushing his face into her neck as he came. Dimly, he noticed a few bolts of his own magic whip out. lightning bright, and the rest of the car tore out, ceiling and doors flying off.

Sighing, he dropped his head, his hair matted to her breasts, their bodies glued to each other.

Nothing but a few branches and the night sky beyond to witness this lunatic bout of sex. They lay on the back seat, which was only attached to the bottom frame and tires, a mangled, partially singed mess of a half-car sitting in the middle of the clearing, serving as rest for their sated but exhausted bodies.

Surrounding them, shards of broken glass and wrecked auto parts.

Bonnie's head lifted, her eyes taking in the destruction.

"Wow," she sighed, and rested her head back down.

He didn't look at anything but her, his eyes tracing over her face and her body, wonder clear in her features, a reflection of what he himself was drowning in. She looked like she didn't have a care in the world. This moment, he needed to remember. Forever.

"One time deal," she reminded, her eyes closing.

He knew as she said it that she didn't believe it herself.

Leaning down, he kissed her. The surprise was that she let him-or maybe he shouldn't have been. She was still vulnerable, hadn't donned her armor yet, so her mouth was soft while he plundered it. He poured everything into the kiss, to let her know that she wasn't fooling him, and she really had to stop fooling herself.

"You looked like this yesterday morning," he said, when he pulled back by straightening his forearms. "I was coming out of the grounds, walking back to the lodge. Saw you through the window of your room."

Her eyes shot open in surprise. "That was you?"

"I had to cast my ward early."

"I was reinforcing my veil."

They smiled.

"You had this peaceful look on your face. And then you saw me, and you hid."

Her smile turned sheepish, and she tried to cover it by tilting her face into his shoulder, but he didn't want her hiding now, so his mouth sought hers again.

"Right now," he said, in between kisses, "I'd like nothing more," his lips moved to her jaw, "than to take you back to my apartment," he sucked on her skin beneath her ear, "throw you on my bed," he finished with a last soft kiss on her throat, "and sleep. For twelve hours."

Her eyes gleamed with approval. "Sounds perfect."

"And then after, I wake up and make us breakfast." As he gazed down at her face peering up at him with fondness-a look he'd never seen before on her-it got to him, just a little, and he covered it by smiling smugly. "I'm told I make a mean breakfast."

Instantly, her eyes shuttered.

No, no, no-wait, what just happened? "Bonnie-"

Gently, she started trying to ease him off.

His length kept her trapped. "You don't get to do that, Bon."

"Playtime's over, Kai," she said, her voice calm. "We need to get back to work."

But he still didn't budge, and really, he should've expected what would come next. With her eyes closed, and her body completely still, she motused him straight up, his pants still wrapped around his ankles, and he was too shocked to counter. But he landed softly, back onto the seat.

It gave her time to spell herself back into her clothes, and within seconds, the afterglow on her face and state of adorable rumpled was gone. No more wild hair or sticky sweat, her make-up back in place and perfect, magically cleaned of any traces of their riotous sex, she patted her dress down with a quick hand, then turned to assess the clearing.

Pieces of car hovered around them.

"Dammit," he muttered, rising and pulling his pants back up clumsily. She was putting it all behind her, what just happened, and it left him floored. Stretching out a hand, his jacket and shirt flew towards him, as he stalked over to her.

And walked into an invisible barrier. He pushed against it. But there was no getting through. "What the hell-" He moved around it, to reach her from behind, but the barrier extended all over her form.

She'd erected a force field, extending a good four feet out, molding to her shape.

He put a hand out, trying to siphon if off. Sometimes his power worked this way, but he knew it wouldn't now. Wards rarely caved to his siphoning, unless they were long-dormant or the work of faulty, frail casting. Bonnie's didn't fall under any of those categories.

His laugh came out slightly maniacal. When she opened her eyes, lifting a brow, he doubled over. "Oh, wow, Bon," he said, chortling and shaking his head. "Can't trust yourself, huh?"

The broken pieces of car around them crashed together with a bang. He jumped a bit, then looked behind him to see pieces moving back into shape. Before long, the little rent-a-car was back in business, even, he saw, shinier than it was when they arrived.

He smiled. "Nice." He moved as close as he could, still bare-chested, and his smile grew wolfish when her gaze flickered down at his torso.

 _Caught ya, Bonnie._

Carelessly, he threw his shirt back on, knowing his movements made his muscles ripple. He grew insanely happy when she immediately stepped back and moved away, busying herself with clearing ingredients from their earlier spell.

Finally she was done, and so was he, all suited up again, and with a quick mental chant, his powers also swept him clean of their recent activity. Much as he wanted to be territorial, leaving the scent of their intimately joined magic all over each other was inviting far too much trouble for when they returned to the lodge.

"Dropped this," she said, picking something up off the grass. The Alchemist's stone glinted under the faint light of the moon.

"It must have slipped out, probably when you threw my jacket at me as thanks for sparing you from self-induced poisoning."

The mix of sheepishness and insolence on her face was too many kinds of adorable; he schooled his own to become less amused and more irritated. He was letting her get away with too much here.

Her look of concentration as she eyed the stone reminded him of something she'd mentioned before, when they were in his bedroom. She was probably thinking of spells that she could research, to try to transmute the stone to its original state.

"Here, toss it over, I want to try something," he said, interrupting her study of it.

For once, she actually listened without argument. After she tossed it, he cupped it in his hands.

" _Feodalia ad formam priorem,_ " he whispered, brows furrowed.

His power rings crackled with magic.

He separated his hands, as currents forming between the rings held the stone in place, mid-air. Before their eyes, the silver began to change, darken, the stone turning once before it stopped, and settled into a blood-red color. His rings faded back to normal, the magic from them disappearing. Before the stone dropped back down to the ground, he flicked a lazy finger and it shot back into his hand.

Bonnie was eyeing him with barely concealed irritation and just a hint of amazement.

"Well, there goes the original color. Someone's walking around with a fatter version of this." He took out his phone to text Matt.

"Why didn't you do that before in your bedroom?"

Ah, the question he was hoping she'd ask. "The rings didn't have enough juice then," he said, putting his phone away.

"And now they do?"

"Having sex with you works wonders for me and my magic, Bonnie."

That lovely, dusky skin turned the palest shade of pink, he could see even in the dimness, and he wished she was still naked so he'd know if she blushed all over.

"Drop your shield," he urged.

"No."

"It was something I said, right?" he asked lightly. "Breakfast? Don't you like that part of the day? You seem like a morning person, although-" here he let his gaze became heavy-lidded and predatory. "I could probably talk you into sleeping in."

Wordlessly, she turned on her heel, and he followed, as close as her damn shield would let him. The best he could do was offer an endless stream of commentary to her back, because his worst enemy right just then-beyond the she-creature, his father, and the nameless, faceless adversaries looking to out Tyler and throw the Geminis into upheaval-was Bonnie Bennett, left to stew in her own thoughts.

* * *

 **A/N:** Oy vay. Have I mentioned this chapter was tough? Like I might've died. I settled for car sex b/c hotel room was too problematic. Roof was a close second, maybe that could still happen haha. Freaking smut. Gah. ;)

Many, muchos thanks again for the feedback everyone! I said this was Act 3, but let''s call it an extended act. Things keep popping up, so just bear with it for a bit longer.


	23. Chapter 23

_CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE_

Cocktail hour was in full swing. Joshua Parker was holding court at the dais, surrounded by a throng of witches, while Tyler and Liv were still making their rounds. Caroline and Matt stood off to the side of the room, by one of the arches, pleasantly harmless smiles tacked onto their faces hiding their growing concern.

Bonnie and Kai still weren't back.

"What if they played bait a little too well?" asked Caroline, her glance skipping around once again. Her target, Noah, was across the room, his stance relaxed now, as he spoke with some women and an older man. She didn't need magic to tell they were all witches; her nose could pick up the scent of their power, and while it didn't make her skin crawl, the way that science experiment who had attacked them earlier did-it definitely did nothing to soothe her mangled nerves.

"Take it easy," Matt said.

"What is that, exactly?" she asked, annoyed. "Should I start shoving alcohol down my throat, too? Because-earth to Mattie-I would need to raid half the stock to even start getting buzzed. Kinda noticeable."

To think, she had actually been looking forward to being at this wedding. Sometimes, she suspected that her brain was wired wrong. Always too much of this, too little of that. Hadn't that been her problem since day one? It was probably why she gravitated, as a child, to Elena and Bonnie. When she was too agitated, there was Elena, calming her. Not considerate enough, and there was Bonnie, showing by example what it meant to put others first. Of course, in their later years, fate suddenly turned Caroline into the well-balanced one, by way of vampirism-of all things-and Bonnie had been the one veering off-course into almost kamikaze compassion, while Elena's life became a never-ending see-saw of Salvatore drama. All of which had settled down, just a little, in the last couple of years, giving them some needed respite. Damon and Elena's nuptials had kicked off the quiet, strangely enough, which reinforced the idea, to Caroline, that married people actually were more boring.

And she occasionally wished she was one of them, because there remained, in her weaker moments, a lot of the old Caroline, who had amazingly terrible ideas like falling in love with her best friend's ex-boyfriends, or having repeated flings with a certain single-father hybrid.

Or attending Tyler's wedding to a witch whose family and coven regarded his species-and Caroline's-as pest control, to be systematically eliminated.

"We're talking two of the most juiced up witches known on the planet, right?" Matt said. "I think they can handle themselves." He took a careful sip of his drink. "If nothing else, they would've sent some kind of SOS by text or magic."

He was right, of course. Bonnie had back up plan A, B, and C in her back pocket, while Kai-though she didn't know him as well, obviously-seemed to be as meticulous with his planning, even when he didn't have much time to prepare. His earlier attack on them showed how well he could handle the unexpected.

And Caroline was relieved, for the umpteenth time, that her best friend's new man was on their side.

Not that she would ever be dumb enough to call him that to Bonnie's face, because she liked not having her own re-arranged magically. Bonnie had done exactly that, years ago, when Caroline had shut off her humanity, and they'd gotten into the mother of all arguments.

Never let it be said that best friends never fought dirty.

"Having fun?" came a voice to the side, one that Caroline welcomed with relief.

Luke stood beside them, embodying everything that Caroline currently was not-genuinely at ease.

"Sure," Matt said, smiling with his sheriff demeanor in place. "You Parkers know how to throw a wedding."

Luke's smile held a touch of mockery. "I plead the fifth. Just be glad you weren't at the last three." Then he drew closer. "Listen, I put out a quick scan earlier, see if I could find that thing that you guys ran into. No dice."

"Bonnie didn't think that would work," Matt said, his tone morose.

"Did she happen to mention anything else?" Luke pressed, his face thoughtful.

"It was being controlled," Caroline supplied. "Bonnie said she could tell from the eyes."

"Kai knows a little more about that type of magic," Luke said, a small furrowing of his brows the only sign that he was concerned.

"We can pick their brains when they get back," Matt said.

Whenever that would be, Caroline wanted to mumble but refrained from it, trying to avoid becoming the voice of doom.

"I've been keeping an eye on Noah," Caroline shared. "He's getting way too friendly all of a sudden. Especially with Bonnie. I don't trust it."

"Plus it drives my brother cray-cray," Luke said, straight-faced.

Matt grunted his disapproval, while Caroline pursed her mouth, stuck between a grin and a grimace. On the one hand, how awesome that Bonnie finally had someone hulking out over a severe case of the green-eyed monster, on her behalf. This was something that Caroline had never witnessed before from Jeremy or the other guys Bonnie dated. And it galled her, because she happened to think that her best friend was in desperate need of men fighting over her to remind her that she was a smoking hot member of the female sex. Since Bonnie seemed so hell bent on maintaining this strangely asexual existence broken up occasionally with brief reminders that, oh, yes, she had needs after all. And proceeded to have them met in the most mundane way. So, yes, thank God someone was finally here to give her friend a much-needed rude awakening.

On the other hand, bad timing that it had to happen now, when they could all end up being roasted alive by a large gang of crazy-ass powerful witches, most of whom answered to that certain someone hulking out over Bonnie.

It was like some bizarre and dangerous circus act. She spared a moment of relief then, oddly enough, for that brief interlude earlier, with her life hanging in the balance under the shade of an oak tree. The time alone had given her a chance to rethink their whole plan and take additional measures. Matt had approved, once she told him, and between the two of them, they just hadn't gotten around to letting the others know. Or kept missing the chance because they might not react well.

Too late, anyway.

"Now that I think about it," Luke said, "All of the Vansels are present and accounted for, except Fiona."

"Fiona?" Caroline scrunched up her nose.

"Noah's sister," Matt supplied. "The one earlier, she grilled us about me being both your fiancee and Bonnie's boyfriend."

"She's a little hung up on my brother," Luke said. "Saw him leave earlier, and she was quick to follow."

Caroline's eyes widened with apprehension. If Fiona followed Kai while he was on his way to meet with Bonnie, that might explain why they were delayed. But what worried her was what Fiona might have walked in on.

Bonnie and Kai alone for any length of time? Definitely fireworks waiting to happen there. And truth be told, the better option was if Fiona walked in on them having sex versus getting into another magical throwdown. At least the sex could be easily explained without blowing Bonnie's cover.

Not that Caroline really believed the first scenario was likely. Much as she loved her friend and wanted what was best for her-in this case, for Bonnie to let her hair down-she also knew that the chances were slim, for any of that to happen now. Bonnie Bennett, focused super witch, allowing any kind of intimate encounter to unfold while juggling all of this? Sure, she'd let herself slip earlier in the cottage with the heavy make-out session that Caroline had tried her best not to eavesdrop on downstairs. But now, surrounded with all these Geminis and Joshua Parker shenanigans hovering over their heads? Hell would have to freeze over, thaw, and turn into an island paradise. Not even Kai had that kind of sway, no matter how blatant his interest was towards Bonnie.

So with that ruled out, it meant that Fiona more than likely had walked in on a magically-fueled argument between her best friend and the coven heir.

"We have to find them," she urged.

"Spoke too soon," Luke said, and he nodded behind her. Relieved, Caroline turned, expecting to see her friend approach.

Instead, she watched the tall, bitchy-looking blonde from earlier, glide into the room, her eyes glittering with what Caroline could only describe as bad intentions. Her kind of beautiful was high maintenance and off-putting, making Caroline sympathize with anyone who had to deal with her on a regular basis. Studying her more intently, she focused her vampire hearing, and the woman's rapid, irregular heartbeat filled her ears. Heightened pulse, her face looked angry-maybe Fiona had been the one to get into an argument with Kai.

Matt and Luke were eyeing her expectantly. "Getting anything?" Matt asked.

"Let's hope," she said, laughing as if he'd said something funny. "Keep up appearances."

They did so, as from the corner of her eye she spied Fiona walking up to Noah and his group. The brother was quick to pull his sibling away, and they moved further into a corner, his face anxious while hers seemed full of malice.

"Did you talk to him?" Noah was asking.

"What do you think?" Fiona spat. "I need to leave."

"Fiona," his voice was threatening. "If you didn't even try, you just jeopardized our coven."

"Stop trying to manage me, you're not dad."

"Thank God for that." Caroline caught his face, as he threw his sister a look of loathing. "Bitterness just brings out your wrinkles, did you know that?"

He stalked away, disappearing into the shadows. Caroline tried to track him by his heartbeat, seeing how desperate his whole expression had turned and knowing that couldn't lead to anything good. Fiona wasn't going anywhere, although the woman looked totally miserable now. Noah's heartbeat receded in the distance. Thinking quickly, Caroline turned to Luke and Matt, who both now seemed somewhat less calm than earlier. Her face must have reflected her growing anxiety.

"What'd you hear?" Luke asked.

"Not enough," she muttered. So many missing pieces to this puzzle. And she didn't even like puzzles. They were Bonnie's thing. "I need to tail him."

"Don't do it now," Matt said. "We're missing enough people as it is."

"Hey, guys!" came Tyler's cheerful tone. They all turned to find him and Liv with bright smiles on their faces, their white-knuckled hands laced together so tight Caroline wondered if either of them had fractured bones.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Liv asked, her voice forcefully peppy.

"As much as you seem to be," Caroline said, her smile the exact same, as she strained her ears to keep track of Noah's pounding footsteps.

Tyler merely swiped two glasses of wine from a passing waiter, handing one to Liv before gulping down his.

He shook his head, cheeks puffed out. "How many damn people are in your coven, Liv? I swear I feel like I just had botox, my face is frozen into this position."

His smile looked painful and a little macabre, with his canines peeking out just a little threateningly. "Maybe tone it down," Caroline suggested. "Even without knowing you're part-woof, I'd suspect you of plotting to eat half the guests."

"Thank you," said Liv. "I told him casual smile, he does creepy. And the guest list is not my fault. That's all Rachel and Luke."

Luke shrugged. "You know Rachel, she decided everyone and their mama had to be invited. I pretty much just sealed the envelopes."

They all waited as the waiter finished collecting and replacing drinks, before they all shifted closer together.

"Where's Bonnie?" asked Liv. "And Kai?"

"Million dollar question," Matt said. "You got my text about Bonnie?" he nodded to Tyler and Liv, whose expressions flashed the briefest hint of dismay as confirmation. "They went to play bait."

Just then his phone buzzed. He quickly checked it, then sighed in relief.

"Kai," he said. "They're working on spells." His eyes squinted at the screen. "That stone from earlier? Said it'll look like a fat ruby. Keep an eye out for anyone with it."

Tyler's eyes closed, head tilting back in aggravation. Then he covered it up quickly by rolling his neck, as if working out kinks, before he gave his toothy smile again. "Earlier, I went out to the gazebo, just to get fresh air. Smelled something funky. Couldn't track it, though."

Caroline narrowed her gaze. "What'd you pick up?"

"Bad magic. Almost want to say zombie, but it's alive. Just really foul."

"That's what we ran into earlier," Matt said.

"And chemicals-cleaning chemicals. Bleach with lemon."

Caroline frowned. "What?"

"Underneath everything. It's the faintest scent, probably the oldest. That stuff really gets into your skin and settles."

Tyler's enhanced smell, even when not in werewolf form, was better than any vampire's. Caroline trusted him, but couldn't make sense of it.

Luke shook his head. "You know what, we need to take this elsewhere." His eyes fell on someone, and Caroline followed his line of sight to an old man, weathered face stoic and stern, who was walking with a cane. His steps were measured, well-placed-perfect, even-as he made his way towards them.

Caroline's hackles rose, and the telltale rush of adrenaline and bloodlust shot to the top of her brain, but she squeezed her hands into fists, breaking the urge to vamp out, knowing the veins were forming along the edges of her eyes and her fangs were just on the verge of elongating.

The whole group stared in silence, as the old man came to a stop just outside of the circle they had formed.

"Lucas, Olivia," said the old man, nodding gravely to the twins.

"How's it going, Tariq?" Luke said, with such amazing poise Caroline was envious.

Of medium height, it wasn't the old man's size that made him intimidating but his manner of commanding attention. His cloudy, unseeing eyes struck Caroline as oddly piercing, like he saw through the veil that her friends had used to hide her vampiric aura. He was clearly a witch, and judging by Liv's thinly concealed disquiet, probably one of the elders. Bonnie hadn't mentioned this man, so he must have been staying below her friend's radar all this time. It wasn't like Bonnie to miss someone like this, and it wrecked the remaining tattered threads of Caroline's nerves.

"Tyler," the old man's man smile was as joyful as music at a funeral. "Introduce your friends. Not every day I meet a vampire. At a werewolf's wedding."

As one, all her friends went quiet and still, her ears not picking up any of them even taking a breath.

Very slowly and with her hands behind her back, Caroline started pressing buttons on her phone, hoping her fingers were aiming right.

* * *

Having sex with Kai was the worst delicious mistake of her life. One she had tried her damndest to avoid, but he made it impossible. Who knew a man could be such a tease? He'd done his best in the car, and it worked, his grazing touches, the simmering looks, all the loaded innuendos. His magic and hers, seductive and overpowering and killing all of her best intentions to keep everything strictly business.

She just-got sick of it. Caved into her craving for him. _Huge_ mistake. And she wanted to repeat it, over and over and over and over again. Bonnie almost tripped, thinking about it. Or possibly, that was because he was right behind her, tossing question after question, throwing comments and quips, non-stop. He just wouldn't shut up.

"Oh, you know what I just remembered?" he said, as she trampled through the woods, the density of trees giving way to more clearing. "You were supposed to tell me about our happy selves. After I helped you with the spell."

Lord help her. Trying to tune him out, she concentrated on a silent incantation, and within moments felt the veil reassert itself. That at least gave her a measure of comfort back. Secretly, though, she was glad she'd given into his request earlier, was thrilled that he'd made it in the first place, in that way of his that reminded her of a little boy in a candy store, asking for a taste. And it was her, she was his candy-what woman wouldn't react to that? Her magic going wild with his wasn't something she would ever regret, either, or allow to fade from memory. Some things in life needed to be treasured, and in hers, that was one of them.

Didn't happen often, and probably, she tried not to think bitterly, was just a drop in the bucket compared to his experiences. But she wasn't jealous. They had wildly different lifestyles, that was all. And Bonnie was a big girl now, had gotten past the point of throwing stones. Hadn't she?

Her inner voices were clamoring, and of all people, one sounded like Damon, loud, irreverent, and mocking. _Someone woke up on the judgy side of the bed._

Followed by another that sounded, thankfully, like Elena, warm and understanding. _Don't overthink it, just live in the moment._

Argh. Not right now, she wanted to shout, and not with Kai. Too high a probability of one of them getting killed, if they kept pursuing this. For what seemed like a millionth time, her mind willed away images of their other selves dying. She could function in this world without having him in her life, and he could do the same without her-as long as they were both alive, was the point. They had managed it so far, all this time.

Meanwhile, he kept talking.

"I bet there are other versions of you that don't mind me making breakfast for them. Let me tell you, Bonnie, my omelettes? They're world-class. Are you a vegetarian? 'Cause I work wonders with spinach, cheese, and tomatoes."

Bemused, she couldn't help tossing a backwards glance at him. Their eyes held and instantly, she lost her breath, her mind going dizzy, remembering the feel of him on her-in her.

How was it possible that she'd never had sex like _that_? What were those times before, then? Practice? She gnawed on the inside of her lip, terrified that Kai had ruined it for all other men. This was probably just another late night tryst for him, and yet she couldn't help wondering, had she made the same impression on him that he had on her? At the end there, he'd seemed fairly dazzled, but then past experience told her that most men had that expression, and while it would be nice to think it was because of her skills, reality was that it could just as easily be the uniform post-ejaculation bliss that hit all men. Right?

At her age, she liked to think that she had grown into a woman's confidence. Her own share of sexual encounters had broadened a little since college, and even casual intimacy had made it a few times into her repertoire. But she was nowhere near Carrie Bradshaw levels simply because, when the hell did she have the time? After Jeremy had followed a collection of men that she'd felt enough of a spark to allow into her bed. Since high school, Caroline and Elena had been badgering her to loosen up-what could possibly be looser than exploring her sexuality-especially during the time she explored the world, a series of memorable encounters there. One of them with a man who happened to be French, spoke multiple languages, and was probably the wordliest, most sexually capable man she had ever encountered. He was almost too perfect, like a made-up romantic hero from one of those trash romances. Nothing more hairdown letting than sex with a Frenchman, a few years older, in a foreign city and with candles and wine and the works in place. He'd been an expert at setting the ambiance, that was for sure.

But this night? Still trumped that one. By a wide margin.

And she couldn't help feeling inexperienced, wishing with all her might she'd added a few more notches under her belt-at least a couple more witches like Kai, instead of just the lone warlock she had entertained. A Frenchman who was also a witch would've been perfect, to maybe give Kai some competition. She needed a wider range to compare him with. Scientifically, it was impossible that only he would be capable of making her climax so quickly back to back, that intensely.

Enough to break a damn car.

It was probably a one-shot thing.

...And she realized, just then, that she'd probably left scratch marks on his ass. A first for her.

His gaze was a steady burn on her, as his mouth tilted up at the corners.

She whirled and moved resolutely back towards the lodge, her only thought of grabbing another drink, as soon as she could get a hold of a waiter. They were at the edge of the woods now, so it wouldn't be long.

Oh, but that drink would have to wait, she remembered. She had to go create a lead of her own, since he wouldn't share his with her. On top of taking over her homing beacon. Jerk.

"Me, I prefer meat omelettes," he continued. "And I'm talking the works. Bacon, ham, sausage. Big, manly carnivore here. So if you're a vegetarian, chalk that up as another obstacle, hmm? Oh, no, what will we do with ourselves?" he joked. "But don't worry, I won't ask you to make them for me. You can just sit around, drink your coffee, relaxed and naked and watching me." He waggled his brows, when she threw him another disbelieving glance. "Unless you're handy with a skillet? You like to cook?"

"I get by," she said, grudgingly.

He chuckled. "Doesn't sound promising. Luckily, I do."

They were approaching the final few trees that faced the wide expanse of lawn. The lodge beckoned to her invitingly, brightly lit windows offering her sanctuary from her turmoil. She was taking another step, ready to shake Kai off, when she felt her shield throb.

"Bonnie," Kai said, his voice devoid of teasing.

She turned back.

His hand was up against her shield, his face showing clear effort, and it hit her that he was trying to siphon her ward. Her mouth dropped partially open, ready to throw out a biting comment, but the look in his eyes stalled her.

"I helped you with the spell," and his sense of fair play was exactly the right weapon to use against her, he was so damn cunning. And desperate, that was obvious in his eyes. "We had a deal."

"I don't remember ever agreeing to it, Kai." Then she smiled. "But I'll share, if you share."

His face grew cool, brow raised. "If I share...?"

"Your lead."

"Somehow, I knew that was where you were going," he drawled.

"Since you're such a smarty-pants, right?" And because she knew now that it got to him, she bit her lip.

His eyes dropped to her mouth, but instead of distracting him the right way, a vein popped out of his neck, his eyes growing angry. Raising his hand, her shield throbbed again.

Momentarily taken aback, she was on the verge of arguing, but paused, sensing that they weren't alone. That awful tingle was missing, though, the kind that turned her magic hostile. Whoever was watching them, couldn't have been the creature from earlier.

He picked up on it, too, because when she looked back at him, his eyes just glistened back at her, knowingly. And his mouth kept moving. "I'll think about it," he hedged. "Buuut, now it's time to play bait with me. That you did agree to."

Tilting her head to Kai, seeing his face shut down again while he gazed out surreptitiously, she fought with herself, anger and exhaustion and longing for him in equal parts making her brain feel like it was pulling in too many different directions and making her scalp hurt. Was it so bad to meet him halfway? He deserved as much. She was starting to hate all those times she caused that look in his eyes. And driving herself just a bit insane, going back and forth between the strong urge to flee from him and the need to maintain skin contact, in any way. It was enough to make her want to thump her head against one of the trees.

She cast a scan out, her magic picking up on another aura, trying to mute itself in the distance, one that felt familiar. At the same time she dropped her anti-Kai force field, the name she'd given her little act of desperation against this man determined to bulldoze his way through all her defenses.

"There was one world," she said, stepping close to him, recognizing in this moment yet another surrender to him. Her fingers reached up to straighten his bowtie, her hands grazing his throat. "Where we were on a beach, just us, playing around. I think you flew us there."

His Adam's apple bobbed jerkingly at her touch.

"Are you a pilot, Kai?" she asked.

He nodded, his hands finding her waist, and clutching it firmly. "I learned to-"

"In the pocket world, yeah, I figured." She let him guide her backwards towards a tree. "I think that's where we were. Looked like an abandoned beach resort."

He closed his eyes, leaned his head down, and touched his forehead to hers. "What else?" he asked softly.

"We were in a cave performing a spell." She sighed when his lips found her neck. "This light came down-some kind of portal, I think? It took us somewhere. We were kissing..." her breath caught, as his palms circled her breasts, "maybe we didn't kill each other. Or at least, put it off for later, in that world."

"More," he urged, his voice muffled, while his tongue lapped at her skin to soothe it in between taking soft nips at her throat.

"In an apartment." her voice grew ragged. "I was working on a crossword, and your jerky other self decided to throw a pillow at my head. I hit you with the rest of the pillows."

He kissed her then, his body long and hard against hers, and her back dug into the tree as his tongue invaded her mouth, demanding and hot and making her forget why she'd ever bothered putting up the shield to keep him out. There was no damn way she could manage to hold it for longer than a few minutes around him.

"Keep 'em coming, Bon."

The rational part of her resisted, struggled against growing deaf, dumb, and blind. Anytime she was with him, it happened, and it was almost futile, trying to revive it.

"The next one's boring. Bonnie and Kai reading grimoires. Well, she was." Bonnie stroked his jaw, her own tongue exploring gently inside his mouth, before she pulled away. "He wasn't concentrating. Kept looking at her. Maybe imagining how to have his wicked way with her?"

His stiffness poked against her, and her hands went questing, to cup and squeeze teasingly. His groan was couched in laughter, as he grinded himself into her hand, his own fingers hiking her dress up towards her hips.

"I'll take you," he threatened. "Right here, Bonnie, I don't care who's watching."

She stilled, panic suddenly blooming, the words, 'okay, sure,' nearly escaping her lips.

It must have shown on her face. His eyes lit up then, so bright and with such unholy glee she had to chew on her mouth to hide a smile.

"You're killing me," he muttered, his thumb brushing her mouth, before replacing it with his own, nibbling softly where she herself had just done. His hands moved to the hem of her panties, and his fingers were reaching under her waistband-oh, was she going to let him, had she totally lost possession of her mind here?

His head bent down, his lips claiming her nipple through the fabric of her dress as he lifted her ass and she automatically wrapped her legs around his hips. With effort, she quelled her magic, muting her response to his.

But other parts of her-no controlling that. She was already wet with anticipation.

They were only supposed to be playing bait.

That sense of being watched abruptly vanished. Bonnie registered it vaguely, her eyes on Kai, who didn't seem to notice, his mouth sucking hard on one breast while his hands were working to unbutton his pants now. She lifted her head and with hazy vision, tried to place what they needed to be doing now. Not each other, obviously. That would be selfish, a part of her argued, while another part asked-what would it hurt, really?

Then she remembered her vow to herself. One-time deal.

She shoved his head away from her, and he growled in protest.

"Hey, now," he grumbled, his own eyes glazed over as he looked at her with clear displeasure, before he quickly dipped his head back down, reclaiming her nipple.

"We can stop playing bait," she said, shivering.

"Yeah?" he managed around her breast.

"Kai, _please._ " But what the hell she was begging for, who knew anymore-her legs were still snaked tightly around him, her hips rotating against his.

"You really want me to stop?" he asked, looking up.

She gulped down a lungful of air, her hesitation enough to have his hand resume pushing his pants down, his other hand holding her steadily, while he poised himself to enter her again. Stubborn lust and something else written across his features, she wondered if hers reflected the same, as their eyes met.

"Bon?"

Tilting her chin defiantly, a small package materialized in her hand once again, and she ripped into it with irritation, then shoved the condom over his length.

"I want you to hurry," and her hiss morphed into a gasp, as he grinned like the devil, and filled her once more.

* * *

"Calm, everyone," Tariq was instructing, in a rumbling tone that reminded Matt of the police commissioner.

The old man's words seeped through, and put his teeth on edge. How did one stay calm in this situation? Training told him to focus on slowing his physiological responses-steady his pulse, even out his breathing, moderate his body temp so he would stop sweating buckets. The damn suit didn't help any.

The situation definitely made it worse. He'd gone into the weekend expecting a calamity, since that was his experience with all things supernatural in the past-oh-dozen years at least. And yet somehow his imagination had completely fallen short compared to what reality offered up. Everything involved layers of deception, one on top of the other, it was like someone's ill-conceived notion of lasagna.

Beside him, Caroline didn't seem to be faring much better. Who could blame her? As soon as Tariq held his hands out for her to shake, they knew their game was over. They'd been caught, all of them-and now their fate rested on this unknown coven witch. Who, through as few words as possible, had turned everything upside down, by offering the Mystic Falls crew the opportunity to work with a tiny group of coven witches.

Usually he was one for being a team player, even when that team included a bunch of vampires with a history of bloodlust, but several years into his career as a police officer, Matt had also started honing a nose for trouble. Now, being asked to trust this complete stranger who had the power to kill them all barely blinking? Spelled a lot of potential trouble, in his experience. His nose was beyond twitchy.

"We need to find Bonnie," Matt urged. "And Kai."

Tariq slashed the air at his feet with his cane. "No, you stay. Someone already is."

"Who?" asked Caroline.

Tariq blinked, his head tilting to the side, like he was listening to something nobody else could hear.

"Malachai must not know."

Matt pinched the bridge of his nose and Caroline started tittering, while Liv, Luke, and Tyler all shared varying degrees of scorn. "You're crazy," Liv said, her voice low while she pretended to enjoy her wine. "He's gonna go apeshit if we try to keep this from him. Been there, done that, no thanks. Not again."

"Not to mention, rip you apart with his bare hands if Bonnie gets hurt," Caroline added in a clipped tone. "And I will help him."

Matt shook his head. "We can't agree to this, not without Bonnie here."

Tariq's face became ominous then, his wrinkles stark against his face. "I know her family. They honor their duty."

"Fuck that," Tyler said, and he slammed his drink on the table. "I'm going to find her. Try to stop me."

Tariq's cane shot out, and Tyler suddenly grimaced. Liv's eyes flashed fire, and Tariq's other hand lifted. "Caution, Olivia."

"Okay," Luke said, moving forward, brows lifted warningly. "Everyone take it easy. Tariq, try to see where they're coming from. They mean no harm, they were going to leave after the party. Now you're asking them to get involved in coven problems."

"Will be everyone's. Soon. If we do nothing."

What felt like a cold, gaping pit grew from the bottom of Matt's feet, threatening to suck him in. Why oh why could nothing ever just be normal for him and his friends?

"You wed Olivia, her problems, now yours," Tariq spoke evenly to Tyler. "And you have power. Use it."

The old man wasn't hostile, just incredibly firm. He wasn't going to take no for an answer. He wasn't even asking.

"You all-smile," Tariq said, and the one that he suddenly sprouted brought more chills trailing down Matt's spine. "People watching."

Casually, Matt threw a quick gaze around the room, and saw Joshua and some of the Parker siblings looking their way, as well as Fiona and her mother. Just what they needed, more sets of witchy eyes, getting in line to put him and his friends under a magical microscope.

* * *

He had moved his hands to wrap around her back, protecting her from getting scratched and bruised by the tree trunk, as he plunged inside her. They were mostly clothed, but if anyone was watching now, there was no mistaking what was happening. Their moans and gasps gave them away, if not her legs wrapped around his hips, jerking rhythmically.

And she tried, but it was hard to keep quiet when most of her effort went to leashing her magic. His own powers had coiled out wildly, snaking around their forms and the tree, and its strands licked against her skin, teasing out the start of another orgasm, encroaching slow and steady as Kai's thrusting grew more urgent.

Tugging down her dress on one side, he freed one breast and his mouth covered it, dragging a rough tongue around and over repeatedly. Her own hands hand slipped inside his partly opened shirt, fingers exploring the hard ridges of his torso before pressing into his back, gripping the muscles there. Everything about him hard and uncompromising, and was this her feeling soft, for once in her life yielding to someone? The thought scared her, even as her breath grew short. She struggled to keep her head from resting on his shoulder, the edges of her mind hazy as the pressure in her core grew, contracting her muscles. When she came, her mouth moved nearer his face, and she bit his soft earlobe to muffle her cry.

"Bonnie," he groaned, his ear tilting towards her mouth, and then he was there, too, pushing his last strokes deep inside as he pulsed, his seed warm and constrained by the condom resting against her walls.

They breathed unevenly, leaning against each other for long quiet moments, before she finally slid her legs down, his hands easing off her. He pulled his pants back on, then helped her straighten her dress, kissing her as he did so, but gentle, the opposite of how he'd been just moments ago, and she let herself get pulled into it, her own mouth supple against his.

When they broke off, he was already chanting softy under his breath, and soon their clothes and hair were tip-top, and nothing about them screamed sex-in-the-woods.

Except their eyes.

She looked away from him.

"We have to stop," she said.

"No kidding." Then his tongue poked into his cheek, his face shining with pure male satisfaction. "You should really learn to keep your hands to yourself."

Him and his ready retorts for any occasion. For once she was glad; her own brain seemed a little blank just then, like it was trying to catch up with her latest acts.

He grabbed her, before she turned to start trekking back to the lodge. "Bonnie, earlier-that person watching us." He drew her closer. "It was Noah."

She frowned. "Felt familiar, but I couldn't place it." What the hell was Noah doing, spying on them like this? Nothing added up. At least he had left, giving her and Kai the privacy to go for a repeat performance. Her cheeks burned; she'd never been this wanton with any other man.

"Is something-" Kai stopped, apparently thinking better of whatever he was going to say, before letting out a short bark of laughter. "Never mind."

"What?" she asked, confused by his manner.

"Nothing." He kissed her again, aggressive now, like he was trying to mark her, and when he pulled back, the fierce light in his eyes almost looked ready to jump out and electrocute something-or someone.

"Kai," she said, puzzled, but knowing they had to go, there were still things that needed doing, like always. She kept a hold on his hand, though, tugging him back to the lodge.

They walked back quietly for several paces, before it hit her.

"Oh," broke out, under her breath. "I see."

He said nothing, just followed behind her closely.

He'd been talking about Noah Vansel one second, then his next thought must have been to ask her if there was something going on with her and the other warlock. Why else would the guy have come out spying on them during such an intimate moment? Unless he was just perverted, which he didn't seem like the type. But if Kai thought she was the kind of girl to flit from guy to guy trying find something that would stick, still he should've considered the difficulty in her finding the time that weekend to juggle both him and Noah. She wasn't that talented, or energetic. Kai alone was enough trouble.

Or, just plain _enough_ , came the thought, turning her belly and lower places warm.

"You're jealous." She couldn't help laughing. It was ridiculous. "Don't be dense."

He scoffed. "Please. It's pretty obvious I've got you hooked."

Taking the high road, she let the comment slide. "I don't know why Noah's following us, but we'll find out."

"Well, it's not rocket science, Bon. He wants what's mine."

"If that was true he would've made a move earlier."

"Some guys are slow to mark their territory. Good thing I'm not."

Thinking with his little brain, such a huge liability right now. She wasn't much better. Magic trailed along her hand, and she gave into petty satisfaction when he yelped at the tiny shocks zapping his fingers.

"Dammit, Bonnie," he mumbled.

"Look, Malachai," she seethed. "I'm not anyone's personal property."

"Hey, listen, call me that again-say it slower though-and maybe we can make a go of round three."

He pulled on her hand, stopping them as she fell against his chest.

"Bonnie," he said huskily.

"No," she argued. "Don't start. My friends are waiting. Your sister. We're jeopardizing the plan. We can't," she cast around, trying to find the right way to express her frustration without sounding too yearning, "keep having a damn sex marathon!"

"So let's all leave. Tell your friends to take the car, or they can fly away on a magic carpet for all I care. I find the people who attacked you, and targeted Tyler. And then after," his fingers brushed her cheeks, then strands of her hair, "you and me, we go away together?"

Bewildered, she could only stare at him. How was it possible he could throw such an idea out so casually? As if she herself hadn't agonized over the thought before, only to repress voicing it out loud because he was the damn heir to the very coven she wanted to escape from.

"Tyler and Liv are married now," he said, and now he sounded dismissive, as if it didn't matter if she said yes or no, "and no time like the present for us to start working on breaking his curse, right?"

Genius plan, right there. And yet, there were objections she knew needed to be raised to this, somewhere they were buried in her brain, but right now required too much effort that she had neither the inclination nor the time to dig for.

"Yeah, all right," she said, her voice grainy, her words shocking to her own ears.

And Kai's apparently, because his jaw dropped, brows rising. "Really?" he asked, grinning.

But then trusty reason stepped in, despite her best effort to muffle it. Fielding potential issues, firing away on all cylinders. She hated her brain sometimes. A lot. But the questions needed to be asked.

"What about Luke? He's on his own if something happens. And this creature, what if it attacks your coven?"

"Bonnie-"

"Not that your coven are my favorite people, but still, the ones who aren't involved, they're at risk-"

"Okay, okay, stop." Pulling her closer, he chuckled. "Did you miss the part where I said, 'I find the people' et cetera, et cetera?" Then he smiled. "Anyway, Luke, my other siblings, the elders-they're not exactly defenseless. And it's not like I wouldn't be back, if there were any loose ends they couldn't handle."

Oh, of course. He wasn't saying to go away forever with her. Clearly. Embarrassed, she hoped her cheeks weren't flushing just then.

"You have this freakishly overdeveloped sense of obligation." He exhaled with feigned annoyance. "A Bennett thing, I know. But I think you take it to new levels."

When he tried to kiss her, she hesitated. And then her mind latched onto the Vansels, desperate because all of her focus was scattered. Her stolen blood, keeping Tyler's secret from the Geminis, Joshua's plans for Kai. These were urgent things that needed resolution before the night was over, and she intended to see them through. No matter how enticing he made running away sound.

But he didn't need to know that. Guilt didn't eat away at her, because he had his own lead he probably intended to follow without her involvement; he'd said as much. So, they each had things they needed to do that didn't involve the other. And hopefully, by the end of the night, everything would be resolved enough for them to find each other and sure, why not go with his plan?

Even if it was temporary, she'd take it. Just a little time with him. Before they parted ways for good.

"No backsies, Bon," he warned.

"Wasn't thinking of that," she said. "Should we arrive back together?"

He mulled it over. "Maybe not."

She quelled the urge to search his face-of course he would say that. He was going to take this chance to investigate now, once she was out of his hair. Aggravating man. But okay, she would do the same.

"When were you planning to track down that lead?" she asked blithely. "Now would be a good time."

"Bonnie," he said threateningly.

"Kai," she mocked, seeing his mouth was pursed with blatant displeasure. So he did know she was up to something, and he knew she knew the same about him. Any moment now he was going to be patronizing and tell her to back off and leave it to him. "That's your number one complaint about me, right? Lack of disclosure? So, fair warning, I'm going now to look for Noah. You gonna tell me to bring back up?"

"If I did, would you even listen?" he said, half laughing. "And no, you're not going to look for Noah right now."

The intense stare he was giving her made rethink everything; her doubt grew-there was a chance she was making a mistake here. No matter what his own plans were, what he was telegraphing right then was an obvious wish to keep her by his side. Message received, she wanted to tell him. Message accepted. She didn't want to leave his.

"We could be each other's back up,'' she said in a rush.

His head tilted to the side, curious.

"And this way," she continued. "We wouldn't be distracted the rest of the night wondering if the other one's okay."

His smile was reluctant. "Oh, you're good."

"Yup. Good enough not to need back up most of the time."

"Bon-"

"But I'll let you be mine." She leaned into him then, subtly inhaling his scent. Her hand reached for the pulsing vein at his neck, and she touched it softly, before placing her lips on it, kissing open-mouthed against his vein, thinking if she was a vampire, he would've made for an enticing victim. "If you let me be yours."

She felt him growing hard again and almost groaned in one part dismay and two parts eagerness because this man had unbelievable stamina. Maybe he was boosting it unwittingly-hadn't he said something about her magic working wonders earlier?

But that was a digression, and right now her focus needed to be on kissing him senseless-as the saying went-and hoping to convince him with these caresses and their softly mingling breaths to unclench, just a little, and let her help. Why did he always want to do everything his way? He thought she was bad, but he was worse.

This time, when the images came to mind of his other selves who died, she let them linger. What was the difference between her Kai and the ones whose lives ended horribly? Was it only his grandfather's intervention? Or his mother's hex? If only there was a chance to dig into their history, so a path would open for them in this world, one that avoided taking those tragic detours. Somehow, that had happened in a handful of others, the ones where they found happiness, where she and Kai-

Bonnie took in air, sharply, feeling the weight of an anvil dropping on her head. Of course. Wow, how embarrassing, to have taken this long to arrive at it.

"I need more convincing," Kai said in a sing song voice, cutting into her thoughts, as he started returning her kiss.

But she pushed his face away gently, and squinted her eyes in thought. As close as they were, it was probably turning her cross eyed, but who cared? Her brain was on a tangent here.

"Hate to tell you, Bon, but those aren't exactly bedroom eyes you're making at me." And then he opened his mouth to add something else, but she raised a finger against it, shushing him.

"We lone-wolf it too much," she said, her tone matter-of-fact. "Me and you."

Running the scenarios on a loop in her mind this entire day initially had her drawing the conclusion that she and Kai were meant to be adversaries, and so they should automatically just stay away from each other. But the math wasn't right, there. There was no common denominator in the bad worlds, except that one or both of them died, or one or both were evil. But in the good ones, what was always a given was that she and Kai-were together. Not necessarily in the biblical sense. In one of them, yes, definitely, unless she'd gotten knocked up by a husband who hadn't bothered to show up for her labor, and the other Kai was willingly shouldering the responsibility while married to someone else, and they just coincidentally happened to have the exact same taste in wedding rings.

The stray, intriguing idea hit her, that this world where they were married, had been the only one missing evidence of magic. Was it possible they were normal humans there, and so had found happiness with each other faster, with far less obstacles to juggle?

And why was she even going there? It was an exploration she couldn't afford, short as she was in currency of both time and energy. The point was, in those happier worlds, they at least _worked_ together, closely, that one she was sure of now.

Her method to this had been all wrong, she saw. With renewed hope, what she felt like an insanely violent grin formed on her face, threatening to split it in half, and then she started laughing, even indulging in a little face palming. "Oh, my God, I'm so dumb."

And that seemed to distract him from getting ready to suck on her finger still resting on his lips.

"Bon, you okay?"

"You're right. We're not friends."

"Finally, what I've been say-"

"Partners," she cut in, confidently.

He blinked. "Partners," he repeated.

"We're that."

"Partners." Closing the gap between them, he seemed to be tasting the word, on his tongue and in his brain. "Partners who..."

She raised her brows expectantly.

"...sleep together," he continued, kissing her. "A lot." His mouth coaxed hers open, and their tongues met, briefly. "And share breakfast."

His comment tripped her up once again, had her battling the impulse to groan into her hands. Why did he keep having to mention it? Unbidden, thoughts of him sharing gourmet home-made omelettes with a parade of naked women taunted her. On the heels of which came images of the two of them sharing the same, also nude, a thought that wrecked her more in how appealing and impossible an indulgence it would be, with the lives they led. They could be partners without all that hassle.

"No to breakfast," she managed. "We'll see about the other part."

"Sure you don't have rocks between your ears?" he asked, shaking his head in obvious disappointment. "'Cause you're really hard-headed."

That right there, it hurt. How many times had she extended an alliance with him already, only to be rebuffed? This partnership-it was deeper than just being friends, he had to know that. He'd said earlier he didn't want relationships with the coven witches, fueled in part, he'd made clear, because he wanted her right now-but also, she suspected, because he just didn't want relationships, period. Did he even have an ex-girlfriend? She had a feeling all of the women were ex-trysts, rather. No connections, aside from sexual ones, capped with...breakfast?

Much as she'd tried to avoid starting one with him-well, that hadn't panned out, had it? She'd even just agreed, somewhat, to keep sex on the table. Appalled, she tilted her head away to avoid letting him see it on her face, the sharp pang of realizing he'd just rejected another of her offers to become tentatively stable fixtures in each other's lives. Was it possible she'd read him wrong? Maybe he didn't think he needed it, just saw her as another itch to scratch but on a longer-term basis than his previous ones. And that she was a Bennett would definitely keep him interested for a while. It always came down to that, didn't it? Her name. Did he care about her only in the sense of the short-term challenge she and her magic offered?

It didn't fit, she knew this, if she thought back to everything that had happened between them. That wasn't him. Alanis was wrong about him-he wasn't superficial. If anything, Malachai Parker was a bottomless pit, and Bonnie knew to sink into him risked losing herself. That was the gist of it.

An old memory flickered, from years ago, the day she broke up with Jeremy after finding out that he was still in love with a ghostly ex-girlfriend. Oddest thing was, she'd really expected to cry more. After a few years, it barely stung, and what did hurt was her pride more than anything. Such old history, and he was one of her closest friends still, which had led her to wonder awhile back that though she was sure she loved Jeremy, had even given up her life for him, as she had done for Elena-probably she hadn't been in love? How could she have learned anything about that? Growing up without a mother, and with a father who was distracted and distant, and had never formed stable, lasting relationships with anyone else after his marriage ended. No affectionate parents for her to witness as a child, to give her a foundation of what 'in love' meant. And Grams-bless her soul-had nurtured the importance of knowing herself, before anything. At the expense, Bonnie realized, of really opening up, of wholeheartedly knowing anyone else. Except her friends. Always, except her friends. When it came to loving her friends, this was where Bonnie excelled.

She'd asked Kai to be one, quicker than she'd ever done at any other time, and he'd turned it down. Now she was offering more. To this man, dangerous, complex, lugging a cartload of his own issues behind him. Whose existence and way of life was a threat to her existing friends. Yet still, she kept opening herself up to him. Not in the way he liked, but what she was capable of just then.

And again, what she had to offer wasn't enough. It hadn't been for either of her parents, or Jeremy. What made Kai any different?

Angry and on the verge of being upset, but certain now that it was directed more to herself than him, she started drawing away, spinning on her heel.

Only to find he had a grip on her fingers and once more, wasn't letting her go.

He caressed her knuckles, then squeezed her hand in a firm handshake.

Her head lifted up in surprise, to find his eyes boring into hers.

"Okay, Bonster," he said in a lilting tone. "Got yourself a deal. But tell me-" his hands cupped her face. "What do you have against breakfast?" he asked. "Seriously, are you afraid of morning breath or something? Or is it a diet thing-like you regularly skip the meal, even though most studies say it's the most important-"

"Will you stop? Just because we have sex doesn't obligate you to cook for me. I don't even have to sleep over. Fine if you have this routine with other women, but-" she had to stop, because abruptly, his chest was much closer, and his face above hers so many degrees of rankled she automatically just closed her mouth, thinking something else was off, and she'd missed it. Was someone spying on them again, had the creature finally reappeared?

"Routine?" The angle of his head told her that he was both mad and mocking. "Let's backtrack here. I realize we don't know little details about each other, and I might've put too much faith in your ability to work it out yourself. So I'll spell it out for you, no pun intended." He lifted her chin, drilling his eyes into hers. "Think I mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. Up until today, I've never had a woman inside my childhood room, or invited them into my screwed-up head."

"Kai-"

"Not done," he said, using his thumb and index finger to gently seal her lips together. "You're the only one I've asked to come to my hotel room just to talk. And that stupid closet? I had you meet me there, so that we _wouldn't_ have sex. Dumb idea, yeah. Karma bit me in the butt for that."

His words sucked the air from her lungs, and her stomach and other parts felt lightened, overall giving her the impression like she was flying-or falling?-into air that carried no oxygen.

"Now I get it." He started laughing. " _You're_ jealous."

"I'm not," she said, but feeling like an idiot because he still had his fingers pressed over her mouth. She whacked them away.

"FYI, Bonnie Bennett, since breakfast seems to be your speed bump? I'd make sure you stayed for lunch and dinner too. Every damn day." When he exhaled, it was shaky. "Nothing's been routine since the moment we met."

So he was really set on making sure she was incapable of breathing or thinking, which she was okay with just then, caught by a desire to pounce on him. Would it be weird if she just jumped him, solely for a hug? She could limit herself to that, since a kiss would lead to other things. But her brain offered up the image and yes, yes it would be weird-so she settled for a grin, and then in her confusion, tucked her bottom lip under her teeth.

He yanked her hard to him, about to go in for another kiss, but she stopped him, allowing his arms to wrap around her, but leaning her face back, her hands pushing slightly against his chest.

"Fine," she agreed, and what was wrong with her voice? Too uneven. She cleared her throat. "I'll meet all your terms, Kai."

Silence fell between them. The kid-in-a-candy-store look flashed across his face, the only one she could read, before it shifted once more, and then again, and she understood, sensed that she was going through her own responses, and who knew what he was reading off her. This moment was huge, probably even more than that split second in the car, when she decided that having sex just one time would be okay, enough to tide them over. Yeah, and she'd been correct for a whopping fifteen minutes.

" _All_ of them?" he asked lightly, his expression finally ending up sly, and it should've made her wary, but instead excitement bubbled up, as his hands found the small of her back, resting there.

She swallowed, nodding. "But it starts now."

"My, my," he said, smirking, his fingers splaying and reaching lower, finding the top of her butt, "how forward of you."

Oh, God, he was going to be unbearably smug and keep touching her, and there would go her focus. "I mean," she said, trying not to sound breathless again-no channeling yesterday's valley girl act, Bonnie, she said to herself firmly. Clutching on to the idea of this new lead as the weight that would pull her back down to earth, she persisted. "We'll go together to follow your lead?"

He sighed then, extreme frustration entering his eyes, like he'd just been getting ready to start working on something and here came an unwelcome interruption.

"No backsies," she threatened, repeating his earlier words.

"Have it your way," he grumbled.

"And we're going now?" she could help pushing.

His face changed, going into 'game on' mode, similar to how he'd been when they were collaborating on how to heal Tyler, back at his house, when they were poring over the tomes. He had no idea how much it appealed to her, and maybe one day she'd clue him in. But not today.

"Now or never, I guess," he said. "Just remember, it was your idea to come along."

"Where are we headed?" she asked.

His grimace warned her it probably wasn't any place that they would end up having sex in, so naturally, that had the effect of both calming her while dampening her spirits. "The house of horrors." He grinned, disarmingly. "Let's not consider it our first date, okay? Pretty sure I can do a lot better than this."

Then he pulled her in for a kiss, a riotous storm of swirling power wrapped around their embracing forms, and the forest spun away.

* * *

 **A/N:** Whew. Glad I got this one out. You guys, seriously, your reviews are out of this world. Thank you so much. These characters and your feedback are inspiring. I'm genuinely touched by your words. And I'm also, because I love y'all, sneaking this update behind my snoring husband's back haha. It's vacay week, and we're out of town, but I wanted to get at least one chapter out. Will try to be back by Sunday.


	24. Chapter 24

_CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR_

Once Tariq left, the group seemed to be held in place for a few seconds there, all of them collectively trying to process what just happened.

Liv needed two additional drinks to help her along. Everything dragged, especially her dress, and she was wishing she had taken up Tyler's idea of a civil ceremony back in Virginia. But that would only have attracted her family and the coven to Mystic Falls, and that would probably have been much worse. Although compared to what was going on just now, maybe not by much.

The one thought that kept straying to mind was this: Kai should have really gotten rid of their father when he made his grand return. It always, always went back to that.

What a damn wuss her brother ended up being, after all.

Tyler squeezed her hand. "All right?" he asked, his brown eyes sharp on hers.

She nodded. "Better if I could erase the last fifteen minutes."

Luke sighed, and it had to be bad, for her twin to shed that laid-back surfer boy charm. "Sorry, guys," he said, mostly for Matt and Caroline's benefit, both of whom looked completely terrified just then.

"We can't get in the middle of this," Matt said.

"Much as we want to help," Caroline added, her blonde hair flying around her face. "We're already up to our neck with our own problems. Bonnie especially. She shouldn't be forced into this."

"How the hell does he know about the three of us?" Tyler asked. "Who is that guy, anyway?"

Liv nodded pleasantly to a passing couple, and then sat at the table where Matt and Caroline's names were. They grouped casually around there, keeping the tension hidden with more fake smiles and laughs.

"He's a sensate," Liv said. "Super old and powerful elder, but he's a good guy. His magic can sniff out a lot of things."

"So you're saying there was no point to this veil," Tyler grumbled.

"No, I'm sure the veil held up." Liv glanced up then, eyeing her father up on the dais, laughing with a crowd of elders, including the older Vansels and Cruxes. "Something else must have happened to get Tariq's guard up. He went digging, and sicced his people on it. Some of them were probably the ones on to Bonnie."

"Which people?"

The way Matt asked that, and how Caroline looked, didn't fill Liv with any confidence about sharing names. They were her friends also, but she knew Bonnie best, and Liv couldn't honestly be sure where the other two drew the line as far as harming the coven witches who weren't up to no good.

If she had to guess, Liv would've said Tariq was probably in a small minority of witches desperate enough to plot this coup within the coven. But what surprised her was that he wanted Kai out of it. They worked the closest together-Tariq was in Kai's inner circle. What would have gotten into him, to try this without her brother's approval? He was protecting him, but why?

She was missing something. And because of it, she needed to be careful.

"Tariq's one of the good ones," Luke said. "And anyone helping him right now is also. I'm telling you guys, he's not the enemy."

Caroline's phone buzzed then; pulling it out, her face registered obvious relief.

"Bonnie?" Matt asked.

"No," Caroline said, and then the two shared a look that Liv couldn't decipher. "Local news and weather update. All's clear with MF."

Matt nodded, face stoic.

That was code, she wasn't a dummy. Maybe her brain had gone on vacation temporarily earlier, thanks to this damn wedding. But something was definitely up there.

"Let's just try to keep cool, okay?" Liv said. "Anyway, the toast is coming up, then the dinner, and before you know it, cake will be here. And maybe things will work out."

Tyler snorted. "Okay, babe. Keep dreaming."

She smacked his arm.

* * *

When they rematerialized, they were still kissing, and she broke it off, to take in her surroundings. A massive driveway stood before them, with a manicured and expansive front lawn flanked with mature trees. Before them was a pavered patio walkway leading to an enormous colonial house with a covered veranda. Though the house appeared well-kept, the windows were dark, and its large, heavy wooden doors didn't come across as inviting. A pair of Grecian statues stood on either side of the doors, perfectly sculpted in marble. Their blank stone eyes haunting, knowing, emanating strands of mystical energy, one that broadcasted, to her well-honed eye, protective ill-intent.

Her skin bristled, magic roaring to life under it. She remembered to lift her veil again, since no other witch would be around, except hopefully the warlock they were trying to catch. If there was a chance at all that the protection spells could glitch out her magic, better to focus all her resources on offense than on a modified cloaking spell.

"You can't come with me inside," Kai said, his tone expressionless, his entire demeanor a total one eighty from just seconds ago, when he'd been pouting because she pushed his face off hers.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes.

He closed his, and then a tiny dark bottle appeared in his hand. "I need to just check something. Be right back." He tossed back. "Play lookout."

 _Oh, really?_

And he strode forward, until his nose bumped hard into an invisible barrier, making him stumble back, cursing.

"Rule number one," she said sweetly, dropping the brief wall she'd erected in front of him, and walking past all the way to the front door. Assessing the Grecian statues from several feet away, she nodded her chin up, squinting. An invisible force lifted them, and they crashed together. What tumbled out from the broken pieces was a nest of vipers. Hissing and coiling up, they slithered towards her, furious and angry, dozens of them. She clawed both her hands. Instantly, the snakes tangled together, their tails and heads knotting up. Sweeping her gaze off to the side, the vipers careened to the side, slamming against one of the trees repeatedly, until they landed on the ground, unmoving.

"Partners don't leave each other behind," she finished, waiting for him by the door with her arms crossed, as he stepped up beside her, his face caught between annoyance and awe.

"Touché," he finally said, rubbing his nose with a chuckle.

He uncapped the dropper from the bottle he held, chanting under his breath. The double doors opened before them, but instead of stepping through, Kai held the dropper over the edge of the entrance, and liquid seeped out, a deep brown stain upon the porcelain tile. The air before the entrance throbbed briefly.

"Dammit," Kai muttered to himself. "Where the hell did you go, Mickey?"

"Is that the person you expected to find here?" she asked, realizing he must have done a scan and come up empty.

"Sent him home from the wedding yesterday. Not exactly my biggest fan right now." Peering casually inside, he said, "Stay behind me."

She kept up her saccharine smile and batted her eyelashes. "Age before beauty," she said.

He rolled his eyes, then stepped forward.

She was surprised he didn't grab her hand and direct her where to put her feet.

Inside was dark, but the streetlight behind them cast enough light to showcase a grand dramatic entrance, complete with spiraling staircase. Bonnie lifted her hand to conjure her light spheres but Kai turned back to her then, stepping close.

"Bonnie, don't use your magic in here," he said, and then he did grab her hand. "Or use it only if you know I can't."

She let him lead them through the darkened hallway, because even as the light grew fainter he seemed to know where exactly he was going. "Why not?"

"You picked up on what's coating these walls, right?"

Hard not to, and she fought a shiver, feeling tendrils of foreign magic at once sinister and seductive, trying to creep along her skin. Black magic, layers upon layers. This wasn't a particular practice that she missed, having dabbled in it a few times in the past, but only because it was necessary, and she was glad to have those days behind her.

Whoever lived here, though, they did it for fun. The air was thick with malicious power.

"If you cast any spells inside the house, the defensive wards will kick in. It won't be just vipers coming at us."

"Whose house is this?" she asked, as he led her inside a room that appeared to be a library.

"Mickey Wallingsford. Old classmate from high school." He went up to the one of the bookshelves lining the walls, critically eyeing random spots. She moved further in, towards a corner where a large vintage globe rested on a stand by a shelf.

"Were you friends?" she asked, and his attention turned to her briefly, his eyes hooded.

"Friends and sociopathy don't really mix, Bon. Back then, I just tolerated people." Then he chortled. "Not much different than now, actually. But in answer to your question, let's just say I sometimes drifted into Mickey's crowd."

"What crowd would that be?"

"Nuh-uh, we gotta save the juicier stuff for the later dates."

She asked because she was starting to piece it together, not because she wanted him to feel defensive. "So you've been here before," she said. "The house will recognize you."

"And because I carry ancestral Gemini magic, the wards won't activate if I use my powers, either."

She blinked. Was he serious?

He smiled then. "One of the perks. For me, at least. Not so much for the rest of the coven, I guess." He stalked over then, staring down at her before he leaned close, his arm reaching behind her, brushing by her hair. "Hey, any particular reason you chose this spot to stand in?"

"I don't know." She went for a casual shrug, trying not to get swept up in his gaze. "I just did."

"You're so unreal." His warm eyes turned amused. "You have no idea sometimes, do you?"

She heard something shift behind her, and saw that his hand had pushed open a secret panel in the wall, behind the globe. An entrance appeared before them, and something ominous wafted from its abysmal depth.

He tapped her nose with a finger. "Bennett instincts sniffed out a secret passage," he said, before cupping her shoulder and then moving himself partially in front of her to face the blackness.

Unable to hide growing worry, she glanced at him, knowing he felt it, too, the familiar crawling awareness, the kind that signaled the creature that had attacked her was waiting, somewhere in that dark. The sensation was fainter now, though, but still her magic threatened to spike out.

"Kai, how are you with a force field?" What she should have done earlier when she was attacked, and she could've beat herself just then, because of all times that the idea popped into her head to use, she did it against him.

"I can't keep it up long, hampers my offensive spells."

"If you siphon some of my magic for a boost, when you use it, will it trigger the wards?"

"Doubt it," he replied lightly. "It would still be me casting spells."

"Okay, well, have you forgotten that you could start showing symptoms of mercury poisoning at any moment? Whatever you're going to do, it needs to be quick. You should siphon me."

"See, Bon, not really sure what happened just now, but it's like my ears just got packed with cotton."

She grabbed the lapels of his tux and kissed him firmly. "Trust me, you need to." Then she placed her hand in his. "It's okay. The sooner you do this, the sooner we finish."

He cupped his ears. "Sorry," he said, pointing to one lobe and tapping against it. "Can't hear."

"One of us might as well have my magic, right?" she insisted, ignoring his antics. "Since I'm the useless one right now."

His expression turned mutinous. "Forget it, you're doing it again."

She knew exactly what he was referring to. "Kai," she said seriously. "Think of it as making sure we both get out of here, in one piece."

That seemed to get through.

"Let me help you."

He glowered at her, but she knew she had won the debate. His fingers wrapped around her wrist, loosely, like he was afraid to touch her now, and she kept her eyes steady on his. She nodded encouragingly, then bit back a wince as she felt that awful tug, and the sensation of her skin ripping whole off her body. Oh, God. She let out a gasp, unable to repress it, before the pain suddenly eased, just a little. He was concentrating hard, sweating, and the feeling dwindled, becoming little tears, here and there, concentrated on her arm.

He released her wrist. "I'm sorry. Tried to control it. But your magic." He closed his eyes, and his laugh was one of defeat. "I almost can't help myself."

She nodded shakily, then moved past him towards the blackened passageway.

"Bonnie, I'm sorry."

"You'll get the hang of it. Put up the force field."

It flared to life around both their forms, the air around them shimmering brightly before settling into a noticeably wavering shield that mimicked their movements. It should've been invisible, and the idea that he needed practice with this spell gave her something to look forward to. She relished the idea of being able to teach him something.

When she glanced behind her, he was still grimacing. "Any day now, Kai," but she said it with a smile, and when he moved forward, she grabbed a hold of his hand, the same one he had used to siphon.

"Next time you wanna juice me up magically," he said, a faint answering smirk now on his face. "We'll do it by having sex, agreed?"

Masking her concern, she just turned down the corner of her lip in fake irritation, while mentally she was bobbing her head yes, doing a cheer in favor of his suggestion, pom poms waving and everything. But she didn't need to broadcast the thought.

Together, they entered the abyss.

* * *

New moon nights, even the waxing ones like this one, usually meant that he could kick back with a beer or two and let himself chill with Liv or his friends, secure in the fact that no matter what pissed him off, his animal instincts were dampened and he didn't have to worry about getting too riled up. They were his favorite time of the month.

This night, though? No kicking back allowed. If anything, it seemed to rival his worst full moon experiences, even the earliest ones from high school, back when he had triggered his curse.

Tyler drank up, grabbing just short of desperately from almost every passing waiter, relaxation eluding him, because while he didn't have a vampire's ability to fend off inebriation, his tolerance far exceeded that of a normal human.

"If you get wasted, I'm gonna hurt you," Liv said, as they stood by the dais, waiting on Rachel, Jo, and the wedding coordinator as they talked over the reception schedule.

They were running late, because Kai was still missing, and while he wasn't giving a toast himself, as Gemini premier whatever the hell his title was, nobody wanted him absent from any part of the show. Joshua himself had just left the room, and instead of tension finding relief in his absence, Tyler realized it just got worse.

Tariq hadn't rejoined Matt and Caroline's table, but he kept turning his head over there, and his friends were obviously uncomfortable, and trying their best not to be.

When Tariq's unseeing gaze moved to him, Tyler squashed the urge to start a running tackle and jam his foot against his old, mystical, blind ass.

"Hey man," said Dex, moving away from the girl that he'd been talking to for the last ten minutes. She was walking back to her seat a little wobbly, and Dex was smiling, probably happy about the fact that here were all these half-drunk women, no Kai in sight for them to play with, and Dex looked close enough like him, less a few inches, to pass as substitute.

It almost made Tyler snort, and helped, just a little, to calm him down.

Dex had his own drink in hand as they looked out at the crowd. Of all the Parker siblings, it was Dex that reminded him of a lot of his old college frat brothers. Next to Luke, he'd been the most welcoming of all of Liv's brothers when Tyler first met the family. But as comfortable as he felt around the guy, he couldn't help wondering what his reaction might be, if he knew what Tyler was. If Kai could handle it, why not Dex?

But Tyler knew Kai's acceptance hinged a lot on Liv. And Bonnie.

Much as he played dumb jock, Tyler was anything but. He suspected most of Kai's recent behavior revolved more around his friend than even Liv. In the pre-wedding ceremonies, the man had been overly cool, indifferent except when he decided to be intimidating, and clearly not all that impressed by the fact that Tyler lived in Mystic Falls. Liv had warned Tyler not to hide his family history with vampires, because Kai and the elders were aware of how much the town attracted supernaturals. They had enough to lie about anyway.

That fuck-it moment earlier, when Tyler told Kai about his secret, had been so damn satisfying. Slipping in the 'dickhead' was nice, but even better was a chance for Tyler to give Bonnie a helping hand-thinking it was only right that he spare her from having Kai rummaging around in her head, that he really owed his friend that, and Kai was an ass for even trying to go there.

But the man had an obvious hard-on for his friend, and it was really problematic. Caroline and Matt saw it, too. And Tyler was sure others had picked up on it, not just the people who were spying on them. It raised all kinds of red flags. He and his friends were just supposed to be regular, nondescript humans here. Why was the coven heir pursuing Tyler's normal childhood friend? Didn't he have a slew of other women waiting for their turn?

If Liv wasn't so caught up with the wedding stuff, she probably would have tried to fry her brother's ass already, for making passes at Bonnie. They were close, and Tyler never failed to be grateful for that.

Growing up, he'd always kind of felt like he was on the fringes of their little gang, and high school had just emphasized it. But those final years in college had cemented his friendship with Matt, and the same with Bonnie, after they ended up taking anthropology and psychology together one year-him nearly failing because the subject bored him to tears, and Bonnie, of course, stepping in to help. Reconnecting with Caroline after her mother died happened shortly after. By the time Liv wandered in, they were like the four musketeers, and when Liv and Bonnie first clicked, magic serving as their mutual bond, the other three had been suspicious at first. Elena, Jeremy, and the Salvatores shared the distrust, along with Alaric, especially once it was uncovered that Liv belonged to the Gemini coven, notoriously known for their prejudice against vampires. Initially, only Bonnie had been all that welcoming to Liv.

Until Silas came to terrorize their hometown. Took over as Stefan for a few months. Killed Bonnie's dad. Liv became their main ally then, helping Bonnie find a way to put Silas down, and she soon turned into the fifth musketeer, even managing a tentative friendship with Caroline. When the handful of Travelers came and targeted Elena and Stefan, and Tyler himself had gotten caught in the crossfire, it still, to this day, blew Tyler's mind how much Liv had fought for them, for him, because who knew she cared that much? At that point, they were both smitten with each other. She had saved his life. And when Bonnie wreaked havoc using Expression to decimate Silas, it was Liv who helped her recoup and rebuild, their combined magic healing the town and its people.

Now, here they were, as much family as they were friends.

His pack, even.

And he would do anything to protect them.

"You good?"

Tyler blinked, looking over at the other man. Dex was tossing back the rest of his drink, and as the waiter came by, grabbed another.

"Yeah, sure. Getting hungry, is all. These appetizers don't really cut it, right?"

"No shit, I'm ready to go track down a pig and slaughter it for ham."

Perturbed, Tyler eyed him questioningly. "Do you regularly do that?"

Dex started laughing. "Nah. I mean, we kept animals, but not for food, really. You know, rituals." He clapped Tyler on the shoulder. "Oh, bro, it's gonna be fun messing with you about all the witch stuff. You norms are always weirded out by the tiniest things."

"Maybe you shouldn't be spilling everything about our family practices," came the snide voice over their shoulders.

Geoff approached the dais, pulling up his chair and dropping into it with obvious irritation.

"Why not?" Dex asked. "Tyler's family now."

"Never know, Liv could always be the one to get divorced. She is a rebel."

Tyler inhaled angrily, keeping a rein on his temper, while Dex rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, throwing an apologetic look.

"Don't be an ass, Geoff," Jo said, not even looking over her shoulder as she addressed her brother. "Way it's looking, you might be the first one to have an ex-spouse."

But instead of glowering, Geoff only smiled. "True, and that day can't come soon enough."

Ill at ease now, sensing that whatever was going on with the siblings would soon get out of hand and with his own already full, Tyler glanced at Liv to see if she was ready to make another circuit of the room. Time to escape the Parker squabble. But she was still busy with the coordinator.

Now was as good a time as any for him to try to track down Bonnie, and with Tariq waiting expectantly, he decided to make good. They had agreed not to text her, since if she was with Kai, he might catch a glimpse and start snooping, which Tariq had been adamant against.

These damn Geminis. What good was being part of a coven if everyone went around lying through their teeth, even to their leader? And, the more Tyler thought about, probably their best chance of getting their collective heads out of their asses? Much as he distrusted Kai's intentions towards his friend, he could respect the way he'd gone about trying to keep everything together this past weekend.

And anyway, it didn't make sense. Kai was willing to accept a werewolf into the family. Tariq was willing to work with one. If they were sort of the good guys, why the hell weren't they working together?

Sighing, he wished he could go back to his friends' table and brainstorm, and that Bonnie was there with them.

He turned then, aiming to rest his drink down on the table, but bumped hard into someone.

"Sorry!"

His drink sloshed on Rachel, who had walked up almost directly behind him, towards her chair. She'd been holding her little clutch, and that was where most of his drink had gone.

"Oh, damn," she huffed, but less in irritation and more distracted. She opened the little purse, checking to see if the drink had soaked its contents.

Tyler was in the middle of offering her napkins, when he froze, catching sight of what was in her tiny purse.

Laying smack dab in the middle, occupying most of the space, was a brilliant, crimson stone, jaggedly cut, running sharply along one edge. He quickly masked his shock, as she took the napkins from him.

"Clumsy of me," Tyler said.

"And me." She looked up with a small frown. "Should've given a heads up that I was behind you."

No. Shit.

* * *

Kai's light blue-gray spheres circled slowly around the dark room, casting an eery glow. They had followed a narrow staircase that led straight up, steps creaking all the way. Now they stood within the confines of a rectangular space, lined with wooden shelves along one side, a collection of jars and bottles and artifacts filling them, and on the other side, another row of shelves, this time with tomes and grimoires.

In another corner rested contraptions made of iron, shackles, and spikes. Opposite it was what appeared to be a closet, with a small hole at the top, exactly where someone might be able to see through, if one were to stand inside the confining space. The door was partially opened, and when Bonnie peeked in, she saw sharp spikes lined the interior of the door in alternating rows. Its points were crusted over with brown.

"What is this, the poor man's iron maiden?" she asked, looking over at Kai.

He merely shrugged. Disturbed, Bonnie's gaze took in the rest of the darkened room, and she willed her magic to calm, trying to ease the hackles that had risen, in response to the residue of evil emanating from the walls. People had suffered in this room, terribly and repeatedly. And someone had gotten a lot of joy out of it.

"This room is a torture chamber."

Now his face was nothing but expectantly chilly, and if she said anything derogatory about his coven and their practices now, she suspected he wouldn't even bother arguing with her, but just taunt her. _Pot, meet kettle._

They had run in the same crowd, his words from earlier. He was well aware of his non-friend's predilections, she supposed. Most likely so were the rest of the coven. A warlock with his fingers dipped in black magic, picking off unsuspecting victims. Like that creature who had once been a young woman, now morphed by the dark arts into an attack dog, decayed and slowly dying.

Bonnie's wrath reared its vicious head.

"Don't," Kai interrupted, before she'd even begun. "I can feel the lecture, we can't get into it now."

She glared at him.

"I'm not making excuses. But save it for later."

"Not even Klaus would condone this," she muttered.

"What was that?"

She spied an enormous set of jars on a shelf, and what appeared to be organs resting in a jelly-like substance. Tiny portions of entrails, kidneys, eyeballs, and spleens. And they were twitching, slowly, threads of magic shimmering in the liquid giving them sporadic hints of life. No larger organs, which gave her an idea that whoever this Mickey was, at least seemed to avoid taking the parts that people couldn't live without.

"I heard Klaus. As in Mikaelson?" He started chuckling, as they both moved towards the empty gurney pushed against the far side of the room. "Why am I not surprised that you know him? A millenia old vampire-werewolf with a body count in the tens of thousands. Mickey looks like a boy scout next to him."

"I tried to kill Klaus, if that puts your mind at ease."

His glance turned delighted. "So did me and my grandfather. Notoriously hard."

"I desiccated him."

He did a double take, stunned. "Oh." Then he smiled ruefully. "Guess it didn't last. What happened? You decided since he's a vampire, you had to extend an olive branch? Now you're gonna tell me that you're buddies, right?"

"Wrong."

Both their attention was rooted to the bloodied sheets on the gurney, and she was glad to see his face twitch then. Otherwise she would never have known any of this bothered him. There were straps attached to the gurney, also coated with dried up blood and pieces of grayed out flesh.

"Compadres, then? If you tell me you offered to be his partner, too, I might get mad. Then I'd have to go to New Orleans and that wouldn't be a friendly visit at all."

"Complaining about my MO?" She crouched down, seeing bits and pieces of God only knew what on the floor beneath the gurney. She made out stray clumps of hair, and drew out a breath, slowly, steadying her nausea. "Stop me if I'm wrong, but if I didn't give former enemies a chance, we wouldn't be here."

"We were never enemies, Bonnie," he protested. "Not in this world."

"Right, I just closed up your throat to play hard to get, and you gave me hypothermia to attract my notice?"

He laughed softly. "Misunderstanding. It happens. I should warn you, there's an existing one between the Gemini coven and the original family. Maybe in the future it'll blow over." He lifted a shoulder dismissively, as he took in the bloodied handprints along the wall, at their hip level. "Maybe not. Either way, they stay away from this side of the country for a reason. And we try to do the same with their side."

This warning came as no surprise, not really, and it didn't much faze her. If Kai was trying to put her on guard that one day she might be called on to choose sides-would that even be a difficult choice? The way he was reaching for her now, rubbing her arms as if trying to warm her-because she grew colder, the more she stared at those bloody handprints, realizing whoever made them had done so strapped to the gurney, and the marks were probably a final, desperate act of defiance against the horror. He offered silent understanding that not many knew how to give, and it comforted her. He comforted her. No matter how many times she imagined the other versions of him-the one that killed Damon, that stripped Tyler's human form away, that tore out Jeremy's flesh-in the end what mattered was this one. If Klaus was capable of that kind of empathy, she had never witnessed it.

But Kai was.

And so was Liv. Her friend.

Both of them Geminis. She couldn't think of the coven as her enemies anymore. Despite this room, and the warlock responsible for the evil, Bonnie knew it would be juvenile to paint them all in the same light. The world was too many shades of gray for her to be so unbending.

But Mickey what's his face? He was going to pay. She would make sure of that.

They stood side by side, staring down at the gurney, something even more rotten setting off her alarms just then, making her blood roil. Bonnie shot him a troubled glance, when he lifted a brow as if in question, and then she nodded.

His hand waved over the area, lifting the cloaking spell that someone had clearly imposed.

It was her. The woman lay on the gurney, eyes open and completely obsidian, not a trace of yellow left in the orbs, her chest moving almost imperceptibly. Like she was damaged goods on autopilot, merely waiting for her next instructions.

Bonnie nudged Kai. "Enhancing spell to check her vitals?"

He closed his eyes.

"Weak pulse," he said, seconds later.

"Respiration?"

"Barely registers."

She was going to die. Probably had almost no juice left, after the fight Bonnie and her friends had given her.

Kai's brows furrowed as he peered closer at the woman's face. "Dammit," he muttered.

"What is it?"

His skin turned ashen under the light of his magic. "She's the girl from housekeeping. We caught Mickey yesterday with her." He cursed. "I took a lot of his magic, ruptured his spleen and sent him packing. Thought it was enough."

"Not your fault," she said. "How long should it have taken him to get his powers back?"

"I almost drained him dry, should've put him out of commission for at least three days."

Bonnie started pacing. "He found a way to restore his magic quickly."

"Or had help."

They both looked at each other. "Joshua?" she asked.

"My dad should've been snoring in his bed at least until tomorrow." His features filled with rage now. "Noah."

"We don't know that," she said quickly.

"Now you're defending him?" he asked, cold fury in his tone. "You don't even know the guy."

"We don't know the facts. Before you go storming through the lodge accusing anyone-"

"Oh, I won't go accusing," he said, his laughter full of dark promise. "I'll go collect."

"Kai-"

A hiss cut her off, and Bonnie jumped. The woman shot up from the gurney, her hand raised up. Bonnie flew back, her shoulder slamming against the wall, but the force field held up. "Oof!" She lay on her side, cushioned by the shield.

Kai had his own hand raised, almost lazily, two fingers pointed out. The woman hovered in the air in a chokehold.

"No, don't kill her!" Bonnie cried.

He threw an incredulous glance over his shoulder. "You're kidding, right? She's too far gone, Bonnie!"

The woman's incoherent rasping grew fainter, her saggy face straining for breath as Kai's fist clenched.

"Don't, please," Bonnie said.

The woman's eyes blazed yellow in menace, her hands slashing across the air. Kai's grip broke, as the shelves on both sides of him toppled over his form. The shield around him took the force of the impact and the shelves collapsed around him harmlessly.

Then he suddenly crumpled, clutching his head. "Argh!"

An aneurysm. Old trick, that. His head shot up, pain and anger distorting his features. The woman's body slammed against the wall, repeatedly, her bones crunching. Then Bonnie smelled burning flesh, saw the woman's skin begin to blister.

"Kai, stop!"

His attack broke. The creature dropped to the ground, landing in a heap, folding over herself in a sickening way that told Bonnie she was broken in too many places to be of use to her master.

She whispered under her breath, her power flaring out and coating around the woman.

"Dammit, Bonnie!"

But he wouldn't know this spell, and they had no time for her to teach him. The woman was going to die. Bonnie continued chanting, ignoring Kai's attempts to stop her. Gold eyes dimmed, yellow seeping out, and the obsidian gaze faded away into milky white, reflecting, Bonnie knew, her own.

 _"Phesmatos somno, phesmatos sanaret."_ she whispered.

The air around the woman gave a violent lurch, black magic rising off it in waves, hostile but weak, unable to counter Bonnie's powers. A mist began to form around the woman. Her master giving one last effort to maintain control.

Sweat dripping from her brow, Bonnie said, "Tether her!"

"On it," Kai muttered, his tone grudging, but angry currents lashed out from him, attaching to the woman's arms.

Together, they dispelled the growing fog.

With forced breath and a growing ache settling over her head, she completed her spell, its effects cocooning around the woman. The electrified slivers of his magic maintained their hold, cracking brighter when her black and gold tendrils joined with his. Kai's gaze turned cloudy, pupils flashing with the leashed fury of a lightning storm.

The woman suddenly disappeared. This time Bonnie didn't fight it.

"Where did you put her?" she asked.

"My coven's compound. It's on the edge of the city. She'll be okay there, we have a containment room. She'll be magically comatosed until I get back."

The walls around them began shaking. "We have to go," he warned.

They were running out of the room, when the passage to the stairs closed up, and the walls began to move towards their bodies. Kai gripped her hand, beginning to chant his teleportation spell. Tiny, crawling bodies poured out from the ceiling, dropping around them, bouncing off their shield. Scorpions and spiders, unlike any she'd ever encountered, fused with enlarged appendages whipping lethally, armed with both stingers and fangs. They fell to the floor, coating the force field, swarming until Bonnie could barely see Kai.

"Bonnie!"

Concentrating with both her hands raised up, flames grew around their shield, licking up rapid and hungry, cracking pale blue and white and disintegrating the pests in one fiery sweep. She saw Kai, his face relieved, and looked past him to the walls inching ever closer. His fingers splayed out, stopping the walls, satisfaction lighting his features.

For all of five seconds, before they began creeping in again, moving faster this time.

"Aw, fuck it," he said, shrugging, his chortle when it reached her edged with defiance and desperation. Stepping close to her, merging their shields, he hugged her tightly to him, his hands wrapping around her hair, pressing her face into his chest. She managed a glimpse around, saw the walls cracking, felt the ground underneath rumbling, as Kai chanted under his breath.

The walls exploded out, bricks breaking away, layer by layer, as an invisible wrecking ball swung around all sides, missing their forms as they stood in the middle of the destruction. One side tore out, followed by another, a domino effect, and then the ceiling ripped off, up and away, dust and debris coating the air around them. What remained of the room was rubble, remnants of black magic-poof-all gone.

When the dust settled, she looked up to find an enormous hole gaping wide above and around them, the night sky clear with stars twinkling brightly.

Distantly, the sound of alarms reaching her ears.

"I might have killed the wards," Kai said.

"And the second floor."

When their eyes met, the light in his eyes was sardonic. "You're just not good at following orders," but his tone was low, almost musical as he chided.

"I had to use my magic. She was going to die."

He clucked his tongue. "Plus you have a problem with authority."

"And you don't?"

"Not when I'm the authority."

The way he said that teased a pleasant shiver down her spine, but it was camouflaged by the slight shaking brought on by adrenaline and muffled terror at their near-miss. She hid it with her old friend the eye roll. "I'm not your coven groupie, Kai."

The alarms grew louder, probably the fire truck on its way because of neighbors wondering why the hell a quarter of a residence had just been demolished in the middle of the night on a quiet residential street.

"Precisely. You're my partner." This time Bonnie was the one feeling sheepish. "Rule number two. We should listen to each other."

But he ended it with a kiss, and she tasted relief on his lips. When their forms disappeared from the designated house of horrors, reappearing moments later in front of the lodge, Bonnie didn't break it. Instead, she stood on tiptoe, her hands on either side of his face, pressing herself as close as she could get, out of her mind happy that they made it out in one piece after all.

When they pulled away simultaneously, she rested her head on his chest with a small sigh.

"Do we have to go back in?" she asked against his shirt, voice muffled.

His laughter rippled into her, sending waves of reassurance throughout her body. "Don't tempt me."

But when they trekked back to the entrance quietly, him appearing relaxed, her thoughts began gnawing at her.

Too many unknowns still. Wherever Mickey was, had to be close. He might be here with them now, someone on the inside helping cloak him. And they were probably livid at the moment, with the loss of the element of surprise now that their possessed minion had been snatched out from right under their noses. They might take it out on Tyler, and Caroline-her friends that according to Gemini practice belonged to a subspecies of creatures, prime candidates for revenge. And Joshua was the probable root cause of everything here, which meant that Kai would also be targeted. And, of course, there was the question of what the hell was going on with her vial of blood. That was the most worrying part, and she bemoaned once again her lack of any spells that could be used to go back in time, to that first attack, so she could have defended herself better.

"If you go looking for Mickey..." she trailed off, as they started trekking back to the entrance.

"Bonnie, I'll handle him. He's mine to deal with."

"Like you dealt with him yesterday?"

"Look, it's not that I'm saying he won't get hurt." and then his look grew icy, when he added, "Actually, he'll probably die."

Blood and magic thrilled at that, in approval, although she kept it under wraps.

"But not by your hands," he added. " _You_ can't go around exacting justice on any of the Gemini elders like that, Bonnie. There's rules."

Always with their damn rules, and meanwhile, they went around killing blindly all the other types of supes out there, the ones who weren't witches. She rubbed her side, where her wound healed, the skin there itching as she recalled the other woman's attack, her gray skin molten, the rest of her a bag of bones. Whatever she had turned into, would not be an easy transition back.

"How can we be sure that Mickey won't just grab the girl from your compound?"

"Nobody can leave the cell without my permission. The wards won't allow it."

"Can he break the wards?"

"He can try," he said, his smile full of genuine amusement. "Faster way to kill himself, so I hope he does."

She thought quickly, not at all reassured by the way he was so happy-go-lucky in his approach. "I have an idea, but it involves trusting me."

His brows raised. "Wouldn't that be implicit with our new relationship status? What kind of partners don't trust each other?"

Wow, so he wasn't putting up a fight. Maybe if she mentioned where he would have to take them next, would be when he'd start digging in his heels. Bonnie slid her phone out, dialing quickly.

"Oh, Lord, what's wrong now, little cousin?" came the greeting.

"Well...small favor?" she asked, her voice apologetic. "Hope you're not doing anything tonight. I kinda need a long-distance monitor."

"Heck yeah, I've got a full program here. I planned to paint my nails and bemoan my lack of a night life."

"Sorry."

"Bonnie, honey, stop. I haven't forgotten that time you helped me out of that jam with the poltergeists. Talk about hairy, huh?"

Bonnie's eyes widened in memory, and she glanced at Kai, whose head angled curiously. Her cell phone speakers were loud; naturally, he'd heard everything.

"What am I in for?" the other voice asked.

"Young girl, induced coma, trying to heal her. She's in," _Gemini compound_ , almost went stumbling out of her mouth, but she stopped herself as she glanced at Kai, whose face had darkened. "Hang on, Lucy."

" _That_ right there?" she hissed, waving her finger around his general face. "Not a look of trust."

"You want your cousin's magical eyes and ears in my compound!" he exclaimed. "Fine if it's you. Her, I don't know!"

"She's a-"

"Bennett witch, yep, picked up on that. But this is my coven's inner sanctum, Bonnie. I can't just let any person inside like that."

"You got the part where I said _long-distance_ monitor, right?" Bonnie said. "She won't even have access to anything but that room, and the woman. You'll see."

"I should've mentioned, we've got high-tech surveillance cameras all over the compound. And a rotating crew of witches on off-site security detail with the feeds."

"Who are all at the wedding. Meaning, currently distracted with who-knows-what activities."

"Bonnie?" came Lucy's voice over the phone.

Kai turned his face up to the sky, his irritation obvious in how his magic steamed out from his form, clouding up the air around him.

"Don't give me a reason to regret this, Bonnie," he muttered, then stalked forward.

He teleported them once more, this time skipping any kissing. Oh, she was in trouble for sure. And bit back a small smile, because although she'd pushed his buttons, the fact that he'd actually caved spoke volumes. The phrase 'wrapped around her finger' suddenly, for the first time in her life-made a lot of sense. Was this the kind of power that Liv and Elena enjoyed with Tyler and Damon? And Caroline with Stefan back when they'd dated, and sometimes even with Klaus, when they were in the on-again phase?

Because heaven help her, Bonnie could get used to this.

"Hang on," he muttered, closing his eyes. "Need to put the surveillance feed on a loop so nobody notices you waltzing in there."

She frowned.

"My people are on top of the feeds," he said through gritted teeth, as his magic leapt out briefly around his form. Then his eyes reopened. "No matter what you think, not every one of my security is partying hearty at the wedding."

Following Kai as he trudged up the stone driveway, Bonnie finished explaining her favor to Lucy, still waiting on the line. After a few questions and then a single telling 'Oh' once Bonnie informed her that she was working with the Gemini coven, she extracted a promise from her cousin not to do more than monitor from afar, then let Lucy go to work on her portion of the spell.

Bonnie glanced up to take in their new environment, catching sight of the tall stone enclosure that surrounded her on all sides, walling up the large estate. West of them came sounds of traffic and a view of high rises, skyscrapers, and bright city lights that indicated an urban jungle wasn't far off.

Turning, she was about to ask Kai where exactly they were when she caught sight of the massive stone structure, partially covered by sweeping trees. The Gemini compound...

"It's a damn castle," she breathed.

Standing before it, within the sweeping driveway that was bordered with tall hedges, Bonnie gaped up in complete shock.

Kai glanced back, his face distracted. "No, but we get that a lot," he said. "Romanesque revival buildings tend to leave that kind of impression, I guess."

She eyed him wonderingly. He was so blasé with this.

"I'm into architecture," he said, his tone slightly defensive. "Blame my grandfather for shoving boatloads of it down my throat to distract me from killing myself out of boredom."

Bonnie blinked. He'd tried to kill himself? Twenty years of home-made reform school...even if it was the result of the best of intentions, and even if it came with interruptions from side trips back to the real world-that couldn't have been fun or easy. What would she have done in his place? She forced herself not to turn all her focus on him just then. That tidbit had probably been unintentionally spilled, going by the sudden awkward set of his features.

"I always thought it looked more like a church," he added, seconds later, and now he was the picture of indifference, as if he wasn't at all waiting for her reaction to his slip up.

"I could see that, too," she agreed, continuing to study the building not only to ease them out of the moment, but also because she liked old things, including structures, and this one fairly blazed with history and drama. Two large turrets faced north and south of the building, and along all sides of the thick masonry walls were round arches, some of them framing windows.

The magic within these walls didn't slap her in the face-instead, what felt like calm touches grazed her skin, questing in their intent. She willed herself to relax, then felt the probe ease. The wards wouldn't hurt her, she had no intent to cause harm.

"Built 1880s," Kai said. "By some philanthropist, who eventually donated its use to a school. Later served as a private clinic."

"How long has your coven been using it as a compound?"

"Only after I got back," he replied. "We've had ownership since my grandfather's time. He purchased the property meaning to use it as HQ. Then he got sick. My father never bothered to follow up."

If only they were normal people and had all the time in the world to explore this building, while she picked his brain about the full story there.

Kai bypassed the elaborate front entrance, complete with columns on either side of the double doors, and intricate carvings set against the stone. The heavy metal and wood doors at the front entrance was double the length of most doors, and Bonnie spied an object hanging as an ornamental knocker, cast-iron twins, fused together against several interlocked rings.

He led Bonnie to the side, where a balcony stood overlooking a small garden. Inconspicuous stone steps led to the balcony, and another, smaller door, framed in hanging ivy.

He waved a hand, the door opening itself in answer, and they entered a neat-looking office, simply furnished but large enough to serve as a conference room, which judging by the round table off to the corner with plentiful seats, she guessed it did. A row of shelves lined with books ran along one wall, and another door on the other side stood partly-open, revealing a short passageway.

"My office," he said, and pointed to the partially open door. "Up there's a suite for me to crash in." The hesitation he showed on his face then was laced with just slightly wicked hope. "There's a bed."

And the room out of thin air became hot, tension filling her and rushing to a familiar point that warmed her lower belly.

She didn't look at him, but resolutely moved out of his office and away from temptation. And wasn't surprised when he stopped her at the doorway, his hand around her wrist, brushing his thumb up to slide intimately between her fingers. How the _hell_ did he manage to make such a simple gesture feel so erotic?

"Care to christen my suite here, Bonnie?" he asked, sly humor in his eyes like he guessed her thoughts.

Christen? What was he implying, that it would be a first for him too, having a woman there? Did he or did he not have a reputation, or did he only choose specific locales for his previous rendezvous? Why was she even thinking too hard about it? That way lay doom.

"You know we don't have time," she said, as they stood framed under the doorway and all she was capable of was blinking down at their hands.

"It's a comfy bed," he sing-songed.

She broke his hold easily, sliding out of his grip when she caught herself throwing longing looks at that door. If only to sleep on the bed, she told herself.

"What made you decide to use this place?" she asked to distract him.

"I got sick of having coven meetings randomly at different houses and coven businesses," he said. Now he was the one picking up on her curiosity. He gave a half-laugh, half-scoff. "My dad thought it was a good idea to keep moving around. Don't give the enemies one easy target."

"Hard to consolidate power without a base," she murmured, moving into an enormous open room, high-ceilinged and housing even more arched columns. Scrollwork patterns set against marble had her sandals clicking loudly, as she walked the length of the room. Rows of benches were arranged in an arc, facing a large elevated platform with a rectangular table across the center of it. The largest seat rested into the middle, almost like a throne. A rug cut a swath between the benches right down the middle and at the front of the benches stood a small podium facing the platform.

Where the peasants came to plead their case to the royals, came the mocking thought.

At the other end was a pair of angular, carpeted staircases that led to the second floor. The hallway corridor overlooked the great room, and as her eyes ran along the walls on the second floor, she caught arched niches holding the same type of drawings, set against metallic backdrops this time, that she had seen in the rattan cutouts from the wedding ceremony. Coven heraldry, this time decorating their inner sanctum, as Kai had put it. And in between those niches, a series of closed doors.

She made her way over to a silk mural, hanging on the large wall between the grand staircases. In shimmering threads of color, the artist depicted roving bands of bloody, misshapen, fearsome creatures scattered all around, in clockwise formation, preying on various people in different locales. Here a temple, there a watering hole, and in one corner a private bedroom. Gaping wounds littered the bodies of their victims, organs and entrails spilling out. At the center, a pair of identical figures, the largest forms in the mural, standing with hands joined and the brilliance of the sun haloed over them. Each hand grasped a lightning bolt, which seemed to drift there by effect, smaller bolts appearing to fade in from the sky that gleamed brightly over hazy mountains. Above the entire scene, twelve vague figures draped in robes, contemplating the earth below with lazy, obscure faces.

The ceilings above were domed, hosting more depictions, this time of more fanged creatures, and even a few winged ones. The ever-present twins this time no longer standing together, but on opposite ends of the drawing, corralling their gruesome enemies.

Was this art or propaganda or both? She couldn't say. It was beautiful, and she understood what it represented for the coven. But God, they were here now because one of them was preying on the very people they were supposed to be protecting.

Kai stood behind her, so quiet that she suddenly felt embarrassed. "Sorry," she muttered, realizing she was taking up too much time. "Where's this containment room?"

He merely kept watching, as he moved forward to join her.

"The principle that our coven was founded on," he said, nodding up to the mural. "Keep the balance of power away from the unnatural. Never mind that over time, and throughout our history, some of us have become as bad as what we're fighting." Then his low, humorless laugh filled the room. "I could've easily been one of them, Bonnie."

She went rigid at that. "You're not."

"Just saying, I could've," he said, his voice light. "But if I was, where would you and I be, if our paths had crossed?"

"What's your point, Kai?"

"Hypothetically, you meet evil me. Not like Mickey, but definitely not good." He pressed closer, but she didn't retreat, meeting the challenge in his gaze. "Big, bad, magic-sucking witch."

His form towered over hers, and she couldn't help herself, her breath hitched, sparking a change in his eyes, his pupils dilating until all she saw was a black gaze.

"We have our answers in the alternate versions of us," she whispered.

"Beg to differ, Bon. They're not you and me." His arms at his sides, he leaned in until their clothes rustled together. "Would you still have let me do this?"

He ran his nose first against her jaw, and she heard him inhale deeply, before suddenly dropping to crouch before her, grazing his face along the lines of her hips and abdomen through her dress. His hands were still not touching her, the only part of him on her his nose, which burrowed against the inside of one thigh, before nudging against the other, parting her legs gently and slowly, his breath fanning her abruptly warmed skin.

"Probably not," was her shaky reply, when his nose hiked the hem of her dress higher.

His mouth was just a fraction away from her skin, and she was looking down at him, eager for his touch there when he laughed then, leaning back and up to return her stare. "Know what? I believe you."

"Really?" she asked, breathless and confused and halfway caught between pushing his head away, or tugging him by his hair to bury his face against where she was once more craving his attention. For the third time that night.

"Of course," he answered, rising. "You're so pig-headed, I could see you denying yourself the truth." Then he found the other side of her face, nuzzling gently, pebbling light kisses along the skin just below her ear. She closed her eyes, repressing a tremor of pleasure.

"What truth?"

His mouth sucked hard on her neck, tongue latching at her skin. He was marking her in a really obvious spot now, and though she could heal herself, she knew she wouldn't. He could've bent down just then and decided to mark her in more intimate areas and there wasn't a thing she could've done to stop him.

"Good or bad, I turn you on."

His mouth fell on her, and she easily opened to him, the now-familiar tangled webs of their magic brightening their part of the large room, as their lips and tongues stroked deeply and unhurriedly. Like they didn't have important things to do, and people weren't waiting on them.

When they broke apart, his mouth moved down her neck, fastening on the column of her throat while her hands caressed his jaw, teasing around his shoulders and threading through his hair.

"You're drawn to me," he said, stopping, his short, irregular puffs of breath telling her that he was as much on the edge of losing control as she was. "And vice versa." Then he pulled away, but still remaining close, his face mere inches from hers.

"Kai-"

"Let's say big bad me had a change of mind, Bon," he said in a low, careful tone. "And asked you for a second chance...would you have given it? Non-vamp, non-wolf, villain. Is that three strikes too many, hmm?"

So that was his point. Her eyes closed again, this time in total aggravation since she should've known that he was leading to something, the wheels in his head forever spinning, just like hers. Except sometimes in an opposite direction.

"Way to ruin the moment, huh?" he quipped, but when she glanced back at him, there was a look in his eyes-plaintive and honest-that she didn't have the heart to dismiss with a scoff or a shrug or a lie. If he kept this up with the baring of his soul tonight, her knees would soon turn to mush. Then again, it was Kai. These moments had been rare enough throughout their short time together. What she should do, was appreciate them. And maybe, pay him back in kind, just a little.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe I could, with time. But a lot depends on what kind of evil you might've committed. And also," she grimaced. "My own state of mind. I don't always-" she scrunched her face, not liking the words forming but knowing they were right to say. "Make the best choices. I spend a lot of time regretting things."

"No kidding? _Never_ would've thought."

She made a move to smack his arm, and he chuckled, then took her hand, and kissed it.

The glance they shared then spoke volumes, but what-she couldn't for the life of her discern. It left her disturbed in the best possible way and also, improbably, more befuddled. What was happening? Wordlessly, he turned and led her across the room, entering another door in the corner, facing another stairway. Thankfully, it was well-lit, and the steps were shallow.

When they reached the bottom steps, Bonnie had to bite her tongue from a surprised exclamation. With a central desk in the middle, the enormous circular room reminded her of a hospital floor. Running along the sides were more arches, separated by thick walls. Each section contained a small cot and a chair. Two larger rooms on opposing ends were clearly more for healing than detaining, set up with IV pumps and various other medical equipment. For the times, she guessed, when magic and science were needed to work in tandem.

In one of those rooms lay the woman, eyes closed, the steady rise and fall of her torso indicating good things to Bonnie. She was recovering.

Kai lifted his hand, and the air in front of the section where the woman rested, flared brightly to life with lines of magic, before dissipating again. They stepped through then, and Bonnie made quick work of setting up two small magical windows, one close beside the woman's head, the other by the opening into the room. With a whispered chant, two rectangular shapes took form in the air and stayed there, a cloudy film forming across their fronts, like a pair of television screens with static signal.

She texted her cousin, and seconds later, just when her phone buzzed with a reply, the cloudy film suddenly wavered, before turning invisible once again. The screens disappeared, made invisible once Lucy activated her end of the spell.

Kai took it all in silently, at times not even in the room with her, but she knew he kept a close watch. Not that she begrudged him that-she would've done the same.

What he had here was amazing. Had it been completely a single-handed effort? More likely, he'd probably gotten support from a few of the elders, along with Luke, Liv, and the other siblings that seemed to get along with him. But he deserved all the credit of initiating this change. She had heard of the Gemini coven in her younger years, vague things alluding to their longevity and anti-tolerant proclivities, but recently they had been cropping up more often among the few witch circles that she maintained contact with, positive talk of changes in how they operated. None of it had struck her as interesting enough to follow. Until she met Liv.

If Joshua's limited vision had run the coven into the ground, Kai was doing his best to lift it back up. Using his grandfather's legacy as an example.

Somewhere in her throat, what bloomed was something unfamiliar and constricting and spurring lightheadedness. She'd felt something similar once, with Jeremy, but nowhere approaching this same level.

When her brain caught up, her eyes were tracking Kai as he made a final sweep of the room currently holding the coven's unexpected guest.

"All right," he said, clapping his hands once then rubbing as he smiled at her. "Guess we're done. Time to head back to the party, Bon."

She couldn't speak just then, because her mind had finally offered up the coherent thought: respect and admiration...she was carrying a lot of both, for the man who stood before her.

Like she had for no other before.

"Ready?" he asked, his face taking on a puzzled cast, his hand tossing up dismissively to reactivate the protection spell.

"Yeah," she said, her voice slightly weak. Then she realized she needed to stop staring, and glanced down, using her phone as excuse. "Lucy will keep us posted."

"If she's anything like you she'll probably have detailed notes. Am I right?"

Through her daze, Bonnie managed a smile. Lucy wasn't fond of that. "She has a photographic memory. Everything is up," she tapped her head. "She's actually a lot better than me in some ways."

"Doubt it," he said, without at all sounding pandering, just matter-of-fact.

Oh, geeze. He was really killing her.

This time, when he took them back to the lodge, it was inside one of the conference rooms.

The door was closed, and she eyed him suspiciously, but he only winked, as the lock clicked shut.

"No," she said, panicking because-oh, God. Yes.

"Round three?"

"Kai, we can't," she said, squeezing her eyes shut and pressing her hands against them, not wanting to look at him and get swayed. Then his hands were on her, and she laughed, his touch ticklish at her sides. "Stop. We need to get back. We've been gone too long."

"Relax," he said. "Just messing with you. Kind of an easy target, anyone ever tell you that?"

She risked a glance at him, only to find his face so full of humor and something else that she knew the answer, her real answer, just then. To the question he'd asked her at the compound.

The door clicked open from his magic releasing them. "Kai," she said, stopping him.

"Yes?" he drawled, his gaze quickly heating, reading her hesitation wrong.

"No, not that," she said. "I wanted to say..."

His brows lifted, questioning but not rushing.

"If you were evil. And we met. If everything went wrong, and you didn't get your second chance." She swallowed past the sudden rock lodged in her throat. "Maybe I'd never admit it to myself...but you I would regret. Always."

He didn't have a reply for that, for a long, long time. His face stayed expressionless, the only sign that her words even registered in the way his throat kept bobbing up and down, like he had something stuck there. It almost became uncomfortable, and she started moving away, towards the door.

"I'll grab you," he said abruptly, his voice even. "When I go track Mickey down. If you're sure you're up for it. I can always ask Luke."

Not addressing directly her comment. Was that a bad sign? Had he taken it the wrong way?

"We can bring him, but don't go without me." His words recalled all of the trepidation inside her, that sense of knowing something bad was going to happen-if not to Kai, then to her friends. She wished she could clone herself, but knew that her friends at least, were used to tag teaming and working off each other. Kai was different. And too many versions of him were gone as a result.

"Really digging your new approach," he teased. "Should we re-enter the hall holding hands?"

"Probably better if we arrive separately," she said over her shoulder without looking directly at him because if she did, he might change her mind, and they would willy-nilly just skip back into the reception with their mouths fused together. The image made her choke back a frustrated laugh, a part of her indulging in pettiness, wondering what kind of reaction that would provoke, especially from Fiona and Alanis.

"Whatever you say, partner."

"I'm serious, Kai. We played bait, we found our lead, now we just have to find our man. Men-or women. People?"

"Bad guys," he supplied.

"That. So now we go back to laying low. Promise you won't go off without me."

Her words coaxed a wicked laugh from him. "Your language is getting bolder, Bon. Think I'm a good influence on you."

"You know what I mean."

"Sure." He squeezed her ass. "Should I be paper, and you glue? Or vice versa? Glue seems like more of a feminine object, yeah? Pretty sure I got our roles down. Not that I'm not all for equal opportunity. I can be glue, too."

Oh, yay. The incessant chatter was back. She was mid-mutter about him shutting up, when he suddenly stopped her again, strong, large arms enveloping her waist as her back pressed tightly against his torso. His nose brushed along her temple, his breath warm against her ear. She wrapped her hands around his forearms, indulging in the feel of being cocooned by him, letting their bodies rest together, and their magic lap at each other comfortingly. Even if only for a short moment, before she had to replace the veil and they had to part company.

"Even if we can't always stick together, we'll find our way back to each other, Bonnie," and his voice rumbled through her with confidence. "That's a promise."

Then he kissed her cheek and walked ahead, whistling as he pulled her along and out of the room.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sunday update for you lovely peeps. :) Thanks again for reading, faveing, following, and reviewing. Here's a SHINY CUPCAKE for you all.

Time again for shoutouts :)

shoney: Thought I needed to delve into Bonnie's POV. The thing about her narrative is that she's pretty close to canon Bonnie (I hope) so I take it for granted that we know how the cogs of her brain run. But then I thought about TVD and how we don't really get to see it, after all. S1, sort of with the Grams eps, part of S2, and S6 until they pooped all over it are about the only times. It was fun, hope I did her justice and continue to.

toooldforfanfic and tashareads: partners with benefits, sums it up lol

imlittleredbird: you're wonderful for saying so, thanks but as a book it'd be heavy lol...Word is clocking 608 pages, and i'm really sorry to everyone that i haven't learned how to edit and cut things out. there's probably some kind of class on it i need to take. sorry last chapter overloaded you, please come back from the dead, here's a new one to hopefully kill you again? ;) p.s. i'm totally behind on Nursing Bonnie and need to play catch up...actually i have a looooonnng list of fics. i'm like a five year old hoarding candy with all the latest fics. anyone reading Long Shadows by leianaberrie? coven leader kai, post-merge, heretics, and bamon/biv friendship. i'm behind on that, too. but it's goooood.

practically charmed: pissed and destructive kai, you say? funny you should mention that...

dora miguel: boo, you whore-ack, mean girls reference = awesome. also, thanks for putting regina george in my head for fiona (if a little older) lol...although i wrote fiona with margot robbie in mind, and for noah, chris pine...now regina george won't go away lol

rosek, melika, mobbs fellow: glad y'all enjoyed, definitely stay tuned, and i hope i'm not overdoing all the ingredients in this plot pot ;)

guest who mentioned top notch heroin: wow, thanks! funny you say that about reading it, because i feel that way about writing it. like i just can't stop, and it's almost unhealthy b/c i can't get any work done lol...glad to share bonkai stories with this community, you guys make it an absolute pleasure. and that was really beautiful, all the ways you listed what kai is to bonnie. WORD. :)

nekittam, jordanjanellejoy, minstorai: glad you enjoyed caroline's POV and the tariq twist (and he is pretty laconic, so no flowy phrases from him); bonnie tried, but in the end, kai's persistence trumped her pig-headedness...let's see it stays that way...dun dun duuuun...

juststockton: awww, that's quite the complement, i've read a lot of amazing fics on here over the years, and now a lot of brilliant bonkai ones that are bittersweet to read cuz they're so good and the show gave us such crap. definitely will try to stay inspired and give it my best, it's the most the characters deserve. glad our bonkai writers step up to the plate every time. and thanks again for the support. :)

wear red tonight, eva505, stormphoenix: thanks! stay tuned, fiona will have a moment soon...

ladyluckaj: sexy time writing for bonkai makes ME feel like i'm intruding lol, and i'm not one to blush easily either...glad you enjoyed...more jealousy, you say? do y'll just want to keep tormenting poor kai?

babaksmiles: did you say noah and bonnie, and kai all riled up? hmm... ;)

kaya: thank you so much, glad you can picture it, sometimes i wonder if i'm throwing in too many things, so it's good to hear it's working for you guys so far lol

anns: right back atcha, france! thank you for the kind words.:)

bonkai addict: so this will be long, hope you don't mind. thanks again for the in-depth analysis which i always appreciate. are you sure you don't want to try some bonkai writing yourself? b/c they would for sure be fabulous. Re: bonnie using herself as a bargaining chip, i wasn't sure at first if that was in character, but then, i remember how intrigued she was when she first met luka way back when. the same kind of intrigue showed up when she and kai were flirting in the earlier eps before the big reveal about his family killing history. if the show had ever done her justice, that sexuality in her should have been explored, especially in relation to magic, since that's her life. luckily, in this A/U she and kai have less hang ups and far more opportunities for intimacy. so i had her get it on with our favorite gemini, in what i hoped was a bonnie way. Re: Bonnie's exposure to stable relationships...yeah, she's the classic walled-up child of divorced parents. her life is isolated, and lived sort of on behalf of her friends. which contrasts nicely with kai, who pretty much does everything on his terms. * sigh * bonkai, gotta love 'em.


	25. Chapter 25

_CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE_

Tyler was freaking everyone out.

He'd found the Alchemist stone, and now his face was poorly disguising his panic, and Liv was going nuts trying to calm his ass down. And calm hers, too, because what the hell was her own sister doing with it?

Rachel. Liv could barely wrap her mind around it.

"Such an awesome setting," Alison Crux was saying, her smile bright. "Don't you think it'd be a pretty place to book, Alanis? Doesn't even need to be a wedding. You could have your next birthday here, it's coming up."

"Or who knows, it might be a wedding." Alanis smiled secretively, her face going around the room.

She was looking for Kai, clearly.

Where the hell was her brother? How many spells could they possibly be working on? But it was Kai. And Bonnie. If they were also playing bait, there was a chance they might have caught someone. And figuring out a good cop, bad cop routine.

Liv caught Luke's frown, as her own eyes wandered, tracking Rachel. She hadn't let her attention stray too much from her, since Tyler first huddled them all together, sharing his freak out.

"Your fucking sister's trying to out me, Liv!"

 _Way to go, Ty._ That it was her own flesh and blood who had hurt Tyler floored her, but didn't lessen her urge to storm over and exact revenge. But she needed to be sure. And Tyler's description of how Rachel had stupidly just opened her purse to flash the Alchemist stone-if that was really it-just struck her as off. Rachel wasn't dumb. It all reeked of a set up. And if her hunches were right, and her sister was innocent, then Tyler jumping to the wrong conclusions wouldn't help much in the way of generating any positive feelings from her friends, towards her family. Aside from Luke, and also Kai-to a certain extent-she wouldn't be surprised if her friends went back to Mystic Falls and assembled a target board consisting mostly of Gemini coven faces, the majority of them Parkers.

They could do nothing yet, though. Luke had considered a summoning spell, to bring the stone into their possession, but Liv didn't want to alert Rachel-or the real owner of the stone. So instead, they all waited.

Faintly, she registered the buzz of familiar magic, approaching the hall. Kai. Thank goodness. At the same moment, her father signaled to her and Tyler to return to the dais.

"Time for the toasts," she said, grabbing Tyler, Luke following behind them.

They were settling into their seats at the dais when Kai stepped back in the room. Like always, almost all heads turned towards him expectantly, more than a few of them the female witches. Fiona and Alanis, strangely, didn't look their usual stupid lovesick selves. Actually, they looked pissed. What the hell did he do now?

"Where have you been?" she heard Tyler ask in a low voice, when Kai sat.

"Working," her brother said easily. "Now shh, they're starting, and we don't want to be rude. Look, your best man is up." As Matt stepped up to face the crowd, Kai sat back, smug little smirk in place.

That look he wore was suspiciously telling. She cast a glance around, found Luke also watching Kai, and she made her disapproval obvious to her twin while he only shrugged. Neither of them had any control if big brother had once again gone AWOL and hooked up with some woman on the side. Except doing that would've left Bonnie on her own playing bait. Kai said he'd been working, though, so maybe he'd managed to make time afterwards to track down her friend and make headway into finding out about the creature that attacked them.

Liv didn't even hear anything Matt said, her focus on Kai. As the crowd laughed occasionally, she pasted a neutral smile on her face, then sent a tiny questing thread of magic out to him, subtly, to scan his aura, adding her own little innocuous touch to give her a better picture of what her brother had been up to. While not pinpointing the exact spells, it did give a general idea of how a witch's powers had been recently used, although it was hit or miss, and wouldn't work on a target who was actively trying to evade being read. She had used it on Rachel earlier, and found nothing on her sister to indicate she had used potent magic, the way the manifest potion would have required. That alone supported her suspicion that Rachel was being played, probably unknowingly.

"One of the reasons Tyler's lucky to have met Liv-not many women can put up with a man who spends a longer time than her, looking in the mirror. And a reason for Liv to be glad she found my best friend is he's got a massive collection of hair gel to share."

A collective chuckle went around the room at Matt's joke, and Liv continued smiling, but her eyes widened at what her digging uncovered. Kai wore traces of hefty spellwork-destructive ones-but underneath it, less obvious but more shocking, what lingered on Kai were signs of his magic just recently joined with another's, intimately and repeatedly. And that other person's essence was awfully familiar. No other like it, as potent as it was.

 _Holy crap. Kai and Bonnie._

Her brain went into overdrive, replaying the entire weekend. Shit. How had she missed that? Yesterday-Kai, trying to find out who had been in her room helping her with the dress, because he thought her friend sounded cute. Last night-him stumbling out of Tyler's room drunk but not taking his eyes off Bonnie, who looked nervous herself. Then Liv had practically sent her friend right to her doom, to ask for herbs from Kai, and Bonnie had returned looking incredibly dazed and not even much aware of her environment, which Liv had chalked up to just lack of sleep. This morning-him insisting on staying with Bonnie in the suite, and when Liv got back, both of them fussing over her dress like a pair of bumbling idiots. Not to mention earlier-at the Parker family home, him hovering over her friend with the spell work, and then the pair of them missing for all that damn time. In his room. And she-stupid, stupid birdbrain-was sure all they'd been doing was fixing the mess left from the extraction spell.

Wow, she was slow.

And her brother was a douchebag.

Poor Bonnie.

"...here's to a lifetime of happiness, guys! To Liv and Tyler!"

As the crowd raised their glasses back to Matt and everyone cheered, Liv managed to scowl at Kai, with enough force he seemed to sense it, and his head turned towards her finally, brow lifted in question. "What?" he mouthed.

"I'm gonna kill you!" she mouthed back.

Tyler happened to look over then, caught the tail end of her silent threat, and then pointed to himself, disturbed and worried and probably wondering what he'd done to earn it.

She ignored him, keeping her wrath focused on her brother. Meanwhile, Jo stepped up to take the mic from Matt.

"So Liv used to tell me when she was younger, she would never marry a stinky boy..."

The crowd snickered as one, while guilt swept over Liv. She was a terrible friend, self-centered and exploitative. Bonnie had done so much, given up her time, risked everything, and this was how she paid her back? Her brother taking her to a closet for a quickie. While Liv was aware that plenty of other women did, she honestly never assumed Bonnie freaking Bennett would be one of those to fall prey to his pick-up lines.

Between Kai, and now Tariq and his plans-she really felt like she'd tossed her friend into a lions' den.

This was it. She was going to convince Bonnie to hightail it out of here, her and the rest of the Mystic Falls crew, and Liv would do her best to help. Damn the rest of the coven. As soon as dinner was over, since they all deserved a hearty meal and her sisters had hired the finest caterers in town. Shame to waste that.

"...now look at her, the beautiful bride, with her own prince charming. Remember, happily-ever-afters include good days and bad. May you be each other's rock to lean on forever. Cheers!"

Everyone clapped, while a few sniffled, and Liv lifted her glass to Jo, thankful for that last part. As low as her spirits were just then, it helped to think that here was Tyler, by her side. He watched her now, giving her hand another reassuring squeeze.

Out of the corner of her eye, she found her father standing. His would be the final toast, and she was dreading hearing whatever might come out of his mouth. It would just be their good fortune, if he decided to announce to everyone that Tyler was a werewolf. Never mind that at this point, some of the coven witches seemed to be aware of it-Tariq's camp, for sure.

It was the first time in her life she was glad her father was evil. Since it overshadowed the little things-Tyler's genes, for one-that might have otherwise led an elder like Tariq to stand against her, Tyler, and the rest of the Mystic Falls crew. Instead, he was seeking them out, for assistance. Oh, how the tables had turned.

As Joshua made his way to the podium at the front of the room, Liv caught Kai's attention turn to the side.

Bonnie had made it back to the room. Relief had Liv closing her eyes and sighing. Her friend looked okay, and not like she'd been deserted somewhere after being used for her body.

Okay, maybe Kai wasn't so bad. Liv turned back to her brother, only to be gob smacked at his expression. And did a double take, just to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Whoa.

That one, wasn't familiar to her at all. At least, not on Kai's face. If she had to name it, the proper word might have been smitten. But that couldn't be right. Liv doubted her own eyes, looked away, focused on her father as he began speaking.

"Congratulations once again to my daughter and my new son-in-law!" He smiled out at the crowd, and Liv's skin crawled. "I know you both will be very happy together in your new life. Try not to stay away from Portland too long, you know we like to keep our own close."

His words caused a knot to form in the back of her head. Tyler's grip on her hand tightened.

"Now, happy occasions like these breed more good news, I think. Seems like a fitting time to make additional announcements."

Liv couldn't help noticing that Kai's focus was still off to the side, towards the table where Bonnie sat with her friends. Being so damn obvious it was a wonder that she herself missed it.

She saw Bonnie, trying to hold her gaze to where Joshua kept rambling on, but that didn't last, as her friend's eyes slid quickly over to Kai, and lingered. And he returned it, in spades. Liv blinked, stunned. The flash of a smile the pair shared then was brief but Liv caught it-secret and...affectionate?

 _The hell?!_

And _all_ kinds of intimate that had her own cheeks flushing red for having witnessed such a private moment.

 _Whaaat?_

Bonnie and Kai. Her best friend and her brother.

This wasn't any old regular hook-up.

"My eldest son will soon be...taking over the family business, let's just say," Joshua laughed, a little forced, his grin just a tiny bit frozen. "And I'm happy to announce that helping him to embrace his new role will be a woman whose family has been highly regarded in the Gemini annals for decades, if not centuries."

His glance seemed to narrow on Althea Crux. But the elder's returning assessment was measured, and she didn't crack a smile back.

Kai finally looked to the front then, his expression turning back to normal, what Liv was used to. Frosty, calmly amused, as if the entire world deserved his ridicule.

"Please join me, everyone, in celebrating the betrothal of my son, Malachai Parker, to Alanis Crux. Come on up here, you two lovebirds."

Her brother's brows rose, and he let out a small unimpressed snort. Liv looked back at Bonnie, and found her friend blinking up at the podium for several seconds, resembling an owl.

Before her eyes slitted, locking onto Joshua.

Liv knew _that_ look, really well-usually signaling that someone was going to get his ass kicked fairly soon, by one petite Bennett witch who had simply reached the end of her patience. Last time she'd seen it had been when she and the Mystic Falls crew had gone toe to toe with an immortal named Silas, with Stefan, Elena, and Tyler caught in the crossfire of a fight between the townies and a handful of stray visiting Travelers allied with the immortal. Bonnie, Damon, Caroline, and the others had been at the end of their rope, in desperate need of help, and Liv had readily offered it, dealing with half the town bespelled and their three friends near-dead. That Tyler had been hurt, bad, gave her motive to go on a magical rampage against their foes. The motley crew of vampires, vampire hunters, and lone human working in tandem with her and Bonnie-it was the first time Liv had understood just how deep the connection was between the crew, and how strong of a team they were. Also the first and only time she'd witnessed Bonnie, with full use of Expression, barely restrained, her fury almost without limits, as she faced her father's murderer.

One of the scariest things Liv had seen. She didn't envy Silas his fate.

And Bonnie was wearing a similar expression now, that she had used to face down Silas. And won.

Tariq was going to get what he wanted, for sure.

Liv never felt more hope than at that moment. Or more dread.

* * *

"Come on up here, you two lovebirds!"

That made him laugh. And distracted him from thoughts of violence just long enough that Kai remembered. Snapping his father's neck now, causing his funeral, was just maybe a little crass since it _was_ the scene of a wedding.

Plus, what would Bonnie think? He suspected she might like it, and that almost turned him on.

He snuck a look at her now, not anticipating anything specific because it was her, and trying to guess her reaction was tantamount to embracing a strait jacket. Either she was pissed, and he hoped that was the case, or she was smiling and sad and being self-sacrificing all over again. Somehow, that no longer fazed him as much, or drove him insane the way it had earlier, at the receiving line.

Since now he knew, for sure, that he most definitely could fuck it out of her.

Suddenly, he wanted her pulling her Bonnie-ness. The first chance he had to get himself and her away, he was taking her to his room. His bed was king size, complete with a plush latex topper, and he had spent almost the entire goddamn weekend envisioning Bonnie squirming in pleasure all over it. And in some scenarios, strategically wearing jam. He had a jar of triple berry in his room now, just waiting, and to think he'd only brought it along to pair with a package of plain crackers, but had found instead a much more enticing partner for the bottle-Bonnie. Nude. Sweaty. Sweet and salty goodness, that picture right there.

His pants felt constricting, and he had to shift his gaze away from her, not even registering what her reaction was. Just looking at her was detrimental to his sanity after all.

What the hell was he supposed to be doing just now?

He saw his father, all fake toothy grin. And Alanis, soft expectant smile in her face and just a hint of smugness in her eyes.

Oh, right. This patently idiotic betrothal.

Jesus, how medieval could his coven get? Kai realized after this weekend would be the time to make scores of changes to the Gemini policy. He'd spent much of the past couple years fielding hearings and summons and complaints, some of them serious (a family battling to keep their ancestral estate in the face of urban sprawl, and could magic be used to combat the greedy developers trying to steamroll them), in others ridiculous (two brothers fighting over an enchanted car), and every last one of them official and requiring tedious hours of paperwork logging into Gemini annals. It was too much-they were in the electronic age, and Kai had been eyeing some nifty computers and had negotiated some deals with a local company to handle the transition for some of the Gemini archives to go digital.

"I know you two will have a beautiful future together. At least we can say good looks will continue to run in the family, eh?" Joshua said, squeezing Alanis to him, just a little creepily, as they all stood before the crowd.

Kai twitched a brow at that.

This engagement-ending it, that is-now would supersede his other plans for revamping. Monday, he would have Rachel visit his office at the compound and draw up the official notice that no members of the coven would be required to honor these not so convenient betrothals that nobody adhered to anyway. Even Theo had called it arcane, and that was in his day. Why had Kai not anticipated that Joshua would use this?

For one, it was dumb and unnecessary. Whatever the old man was doing, Kai could easily undo without batting an eyelash. What was his father man trying to prove? And why now? What was in it for Alanis? From previous conversations, he'd never gotten the impression that she was serious about pursuing anything. She was a harmless flirt, and the most he'd ever picked up on was that she liked the thought of the resident black sheep in the coven, staining her reputation just a touch to give herself more edge.

Had Joshua gotten to her?

She leaned against him now, her whole air appealing and artless, like everything had caught her by surprise. Kai's focus drifted to the rest of the Cruxes, and their faces gave him his answer. Her sister Alison seemed worried, and their mother was wearing that blank, uncompromising stare that meant she was probably working on a new hex.

Well, shit. He had to let the woman know this wasn't his idea.

"Excuse me, ladies and gents." His voice rang pleasantly out, as he grabbed Joshua. "I just need a few minutes with my father."

Then he placed a firm hand on the older man's shoulder, leading him out of the room.

"You know I'm gonna have to embarrass that girl now, right?" Kai said with a smile, as he and Joshua reached the end of the walkway. "What're you doing?"

"Planning the future for our coven."

"Well, don't. You suck at it."

Joshua merely nodded with an astounding lack of hostility. "I know you'll need convincing. But in due course, you'll understand where this is going."

"What I understand, is that you're here when you shouldn't be, acting like the person I know you're not." Here his father continued to wear his neutral face, and Kai imagined his fist cracking against it, to reveal his true intentions. "Rather than feed me bullshit, why don't you just give it your best shot, old man? Try me. Right now. Quit wasting time."

Joshua had the nerve to effect being offended. "Malachai, have some respect. I'm your father. I'm not here to spar with you."

"What happened to the whole crazy prophet routine you had down pat these last couple of weeks? Ya know, 'grr Tyler bad' and 'must stop evil wedding.' When will that guy be back?"

The other man sighed. "I apologized for that. Earlier, you heard me. I was...misguided."

"Mm-hmm. Sure. But when I cancel this _betrothal_ ," with total disdain, Kai made quotation marks in the air, to show just how seriously he took it. "That'll just feed everyone's concern that you've embraced ineptitude." He grinned delightedly. "So, thanks for that, pops."

"Malachai, please don't do that. Think of Alanis."

"Aww, will her little feelings get hurt? She shouldn't have gone along with this in the first place. We never even talk-"

Here Kai stopped, remembering earlier. In his haste to be alone in the closet with Bonnie, he'd sent Fiona and Alanis storming out, upset. Both of them, clearly, armed with information that he could've used. Fuck.

"Think of her family. Althea. Do you really want to burn your bridges with the Cruxes? What was it you mentioned about inept? That would be the height of it."

Which broke Kai's mask of geniality, long enough for his magic to pound angrily against his head, threatening to crack his skull open. And his father's.

Joshua merely smiled, then brushed past his shoulder, and walked back towards the hall.

A few seconds to burn a hole into the wall helped. Not a figurative one, either. As Kai clenched a fist, staring hard, layers of paint disintegrated, slowly, hissing as its edges kept scorching wider, revealing a mess of concrete behind.

"Now what did that poor plaster ever do to you?" came the gently chiding voice.

Maggie stood beside him, and they both surveyed the small damage his flash of temper had caused.

"It was either the wall or my father's face." Putting his hands in his pocket, he shrugged. "Should've went with the other option."

Maggie gave a tiny, elegant snort. "Infinitely more satisfying if you had."

Puffing out his cheeks, Kai gave into a small growl, hands going up to his head, almost ready to tear out his hair. "All I want is for this night to end."

And Bonnie to be there with him when it was over, but that one he added silently to himself.

"Malachai, I would like to help. Spare a few minutes and come with me."

"Your brand of help, I don't know if I need," he replied, still miffed that while Bonnie had gotten fair warning about the other worlds, Maggie for some reason had decided not to give him the same courtesy.

But he followed her anyway, making their way across the lobby and down a smaller hallway. So what if Joshua and Alanis were waiting, they could keep at it until the cows came home. His father probably was spinning an inventive way to make his disappearance jive with whatever bad intentions he had in place. _Oh, you know Kai-so unpredictable. Needed a moment to himself, is how happy he is contemplating a future with his fiancée._

Maggie turned into a small waiting room, seating herself in that proper way she had that kept her posture perfect, her chin up, and everything about her exuding strict confidence, like a mother superior at a convent. Her profile was stern when she flicked a sideways glance at him.

With effort, he contained the urge to sigh in frustration, and took dragging steps, hesitating by the door like he only meant to pop in briefly. The older woman merely lifted one of her commanding brows, before pointing gracefully with her chin to the chair across from her.

A tray of tea was laid out on the small table between them. Of course she'd had it all set up; he had a feeling he was in for hell of a talk.

"Aw, come on," he groaned, rubbing his hands on his face as he dropped into the chair sullenly. "Maggie, I can't with this right now. And you know I hate tea."

"Perhaps you hate it, but I suggest you drink some. It's quite soothing. And you'll have need of calming your faculties." She glanced at the door, which closed on its own, as the air before it shimmered, before spreading around the room in a quick wave of protection.

"Did you just spell us against being eavesdropped on? Ha." He pursed a corner of his mouth. "I knew it. No wonder I couldn't hear you and Bonnie yesterday. Do you know how much time that wasted? Since yesterday, I might've known that she was a Bennett."

"Hasn't it worked out, regardless?" she asked.

"You call it worked out, when dear old dad just chained me to a woman I give no shit about? Bonnie's probably just thrilled with me right now."

Maggie sighed, brushing invisible crumbs off her lap. "Yes, well, that was rather unfortunate. However, I'm certain you'll untangle the mess. You've become rather proficient with that." Then her face turned serious. "Malachai, tonight will be quite a bigger mess than you expect."

"You know, _I'm_ not really thrilled with _you_. If you're here to give me more vague warnings, I seriously need to rethink our friendship." Then his glare turned rueful. "Any reason why you chose to share those other worlds with her, but not me?"

"I could predict her reaction far more easily than yours," she replied tartly, turning a look his way that clearly said, _you needed to ask?_

"You could've easily turned her against me."

"And yet-she didn't. I must be doing something right." Maggie poured a cup for him, then held it out. "Drink. And I will share with you certain items which I feel are safer for you to know, than her."

Intrigued, he almost fell for it, before he remembered that keeping things from Bonnie was probably against one of the rules in the 'Partners with Benefits' handbook. "Why not just tell both of us?"

She continued to offer the cup of tea. "For once in your life, Malachai, do what I ask without fighting me so much. You know it's only for your own good. As well," she added, sitting back expectantly. "As Bonnie's."

"Ooooh, very good," he said. "Knew just when to work that in. Sneaky, Mags."

She puckered her mouth, impatience rolling off her in waves that affected the room, as her magic caused the lights to dim briefly.

"Fine," he grumbled, then took a sip. "Now tell me-"

But sputtered and choked on the drink, seeing too late the tiny leaves resting at the bottom of the cup.

"Not again," he groaned, clutching his head as a rapid sequence of images played out inside his mind-

 _Bonnie was at the Gemini compound, sitting in his office with elders, Noah, a few of his siblings, and her friends. He didn't see himself, but some unfamiliar faces were present as well, all gathered around her with grim expressions. The witches alternated between studying scrolls enlarged on a projector, and passing around a device that appeared broken, mangled metal parts sticking out haphazardly. When the device reached Bonnie, she floated it with magic towards the center of the table, concentrating. Noah was gazing at her with concern, and reached out to squeeze her other hand..._

 _He and Bonnie, bickering as they rode together in his car, him holding out a map on his lap while she drove, changing the station. The highway before them stretched long and empty, and they wore jackets even in the car, the setting sun making a last effort to melt some of the snow on the surrounding fields The final rays of sunlight filtered through the windshield, casting their identical interlocked silver and gold rings in brilliance, her left hand on the wheel and his left resting on her nearest thigh. With a casual move, he changed the station back. When her hand whipped out to slap his away from the radio, he grabbed hold of hers, then brought it up to kiss..._

 _The decimated rubble of what looked like the lodge, with members of his coven sprawled around, dead or dying, including his siblings, and his father. Again he was missing, but he saw Mickey, held aloft in the air, black snakelike currents stabbing through his form, over and over, taking out chunks of flesh and spattering blood each time. He screamed in agony, before finally the blackness shrouded him, like a mummy, squeezing, tightly and painfully, until his body popped, burst out in a spray of blood and flesh and dying dark magic, amber coils rearing for one last attack, only to shrink away under an onslaught of power, a hiss of black spinning violently to wipe out the last threads of Mickey's. Nearby, Caroline's figure lay face down, a hole through her chest. Matt was running along the edge of the estate, forms chasing him, and then suddenly his pursuers were obliterated by black, winding tendrils. When he looked to follow the source, he found Bonnie. No gold remained in her aura, all that was left was the yawning void of Expression magic, wrapped around her ravenously. Matt was yelling, crying, and Bonnie gazed blankly at him, as his body, too, was swept up in an angry, black vortex. Her friend gone, the vortex remained, spinning furiously higher and wider, consuming the area around her tiny form, before a flash of blinding light grew out from its center, and the world around her exploded into particles of dying light, fading into bleakness..._

 _Set against the backdrop of a familiar sprawling country estate, twinkling lights festively highlighted forms dressed in tuxedos and ball gowns, strolling across an open courtyard and into a ballroom. It was the Summit, an annual gala inviting the highest ranking members from covens worldwide to gather and hobnob. He stood in a group with Luke, Noah, and the Cruxes, mingling with others in the room. His face seemed relaxed, even a little satisfied, as Alanis walked beside him, whispering into his ear. Then the majordomo announced the late arrival, and the room hushed. Bonnie glided in, dressed in finery befitting royalty, and holding herself like a young queen, commanding everyone's attention. An unfamiliar man escorted her down the steps and towards the enchanted crowd. He saw his own face register surprise, then intrigue, and then finally, he was disentangling himself from Alanis, and standing off to the side of the crowd surrounding Bonnie, as she held court..._

When the last of the visions faded, Kai muttered another oath, rubbing his temples.

"I _really_ ," he said, chuckling darkly, "fucking hate when you do that."

"My apologies, Malachai. Such tactics were necessary, although I did make sure to pick a flavor of tea you once told me you least despised."

"Thoughtful of you," he returned, all mockery. "Bonnie already filled me on the alternate worlds. Why are you bothering sharing new ones now with me?" He stood, the scenes rattling his brain loose within his skull, and pointed at her with a waving finger, clucking. "You need to work on your timing, Mags. I got too much already going on."

When her expression turned foreboding, his stomach dropped to his feet unpleasantly.

"My dear boy, those were not the other worlds," she said softly. "That was not my magic. Those came by a young clairvoyant. My coven merely helped to sharpen the pictures so I could present them cohesively to you through the scrying spell."

"Those are..." Kai closed his eyes, the images flitting quickly in sequence. Three possibilities with Bonnie alive, one with her completely gone beyond hope. One, the pair of them- happy. Should he take those odds? He was a betting man. "Our near future?"

"It's why I needed the leaves in the tea. To show, rather than just tell you."

She poured sugar into her own cup, her fingers trembling slightly the only sign that any of this was getting to her. It was enough to rein in his anger with her. The Durants and their coven, despite the advantage of being more psychically inclined than most witches, still had it rougher than most. Those types of spells and abilities meant less accurate casting, and heaven help anyone receiving visions and trying to weed out the meaning among hundreds and in some cases, thousands of scenarios.

"This is really why you're here," he said softly. "The whole reason you bothered to show up to this wedding. You were absent from the others, but I figured you came because you were just bored."

To anyone else, the flash of those pale eyes coupled with the suddenly clenched jaw could've been interpreted as anger. But he knew better. This was Maggie attempting damage control, and doing her best to keep it together.

"You're trying to avoid Bonnie losing it, the way she did in that one future. How long have you known?"

Her speaking glance scared him. Probably years.

He should've put it together. But he missed it because he was off his game. Because of Bonnie. And he had the same effect on her, was his best guess. They were both putting each other at risk, distracting and discombobulating the other. Maggie had just shown him the worst-case scenario that spelled obvious doom for his coven. Her friends. Herself. But the question remained...

"I'm missing from two of the visions. Ideas?"

"Yes." After years of her friendship, he had Maggie figured out fairly well, as much as she allowed anyone to. The struggle on her face showed him that there were other things she was leaving out, like always. As observers were wont to do, when they felt like what hung in the balance was far too delicate to upset, even by sharing information that would prove helpful.

"That's all I'm gonna get, I guess?" he asked, bitterly. "The hell am I supposed to do with that, Maggie? Teleport Bonnie onto a deserted island? She would only bring herself right back, super pissed. Might be the tipping point. Who knows?"

"Sheila seemed to think you would be the most help."

He drew back, shocked.

"Malachai-"

"Ya know," he added in a mirthless chuckle, "I can forgive you your poor choice of friends. But it's asking a lot of me, to put my faith in the woman who tried to give me magical lobotomies. And then later plotted with my father to have me locked up for eternity in solitude."

Hugging herself with one arm, she rested a hand against her cheek, and with an unflinching stare, said, "My dear confused boy, your grasp of history is rather shaky."

"Really? Were you there the first time they strapped me down and gave me a mystical lobotomy? Because I had front a row seat. Or how about when she finagled the Gemini spirits to zap me with their own awesome form of electrotherapy to shock the sociopathy out of me." His jaw clenched, remembering the insidious probing of a sharp, stiff thread of magic, made to feel like a needle, winding through his eyesocket, digging inside parts of his brain. That had been worse than the lightning storms that surged into his body-at least that way had made him feel furiously alive even though it hurt like a bitch.

The magical mini brain surgery was something else. His father was supposed to have made it so he couldn't feel or remember anything, and of course had failed spectacularly with that. On purpose.

"She about killed me two or three times there," he spat.

"And she brought you back each time."

"Big whoop. Nasty woman, that Sheila. She only saved me so she could kill me again."

"You misunderstand the motives, child." She sighed heavily, her unblinking aqua gaze shadowed and riddled with guilt, in a way that made him nervous because he had never seen her look so. "If you wish to lay the blame on anyone, you might as well get it right. I was the one who sent her your way."

He stilled, slowly turning his body away, letting those words sink in as he faced the window, contemplating the darkened landscape below and wishing he could disappear into it, and away from this old woman who suddenly no longer felt like much of a friend. This is why he didn't like letting people in. They always-without fail-did things to piss you off and turn you homicidal.

"You," he said calmly. "The only person on this planet that I've given two unequivocal shits about for the last couple years. You put Sheila on my family's doorstep?" Confused, he added, "I didn't even know you then."

"True enough, but as with Bonnie, I have known _of_ you since the day you were born." She sighed. "You of all people should know about the history between not only our two covens, but also with the Bennetts."

He did know this, generations of Parkers and Bennetts and Durants, as well numerous other old magical bloodlines, intermingled names in the archaic texts that could be found in any respectable coven library. And although it felt like he'd read all of the historical books, apparently he'd missed some. Before Sheila and Maggie, all he knew of the Bennetts and Durants were from casual mentions among his parents and coven elders, of people who were long gone. His grandfather had occasionally mentioned another Bennett, an ally in his youth, but the name escaped Kai because Theo hadn't brought her up very often.

"Not many first-person diaries out there to spell everything out," Kai said, sullen. "How does that explain this conspiracy to track my life since birth? Totally creepy, by the way. Like the Truman show. Except mine would've been less dark comedy, more Friday the 13th horror movie, right? Were you all just waiting around for me to go psycho?"

He had a sudden impression of himself as a teen, trapped inside a bubble with his family and the coven anticipating his moment of snapping, to record it for posterity.

"No, we were trying to _avoid_ it," she said firmly. Her power, aged but still teeming with force, descended around them, furniture wobbling on their legs. "Listen to me, because while you are older than you look, sometimes you are nothing more than a hurt little boy acting out."

He bristled.

"I'm disappointed that you still haven't learned, Malachai. Time with Theo should have taught you that sometimes things need doing, whether we wish it or not. Your grandfather had his reasons for the methods he used to teach you, correct?"

The shrug he gave was noncommittal. Only Maggie had any idea how his grandfather's 'homeschooling' had gone. She had witnessed some of its results, such as the time Theo had conjured up a horse, much like the one Kai's father liked to use for the spring harvest ritual, and eerily similar to one that Kai had once killed one afternoon, in a fit of anger against his parents.

When Theo ordered him to slaughter the conjured up animal for a ritual sacrifice, Kai had gotten queasy imagining cutting out its entrails for no good reason.

From there, the sneaky attempts to impose conscientiousness became blatant. The hardest part had come at the end. Trying to understand his family. Kai had had a lot of aggression to work out towards them, before he could even think about trying to feel for the people he'd grown up with, who had at best given him neglectful scraps of tolerance, and at worst-in the case of Joshua-bloody beatings, magical torture, and psychological mind fucking.

"I had my reasons as well," Maggie explained. "For sending Sheila to the Geminis, and Sheila had hers for working with your parents."

"My father," he cut in tersely.

"No, your _parents_. As far as I know, she and your mother were by far the more cooperative partnership there. Where do you suppose your mother learned that hex to use on your father?"

Now it all was unraveling, seemed like. She was trying to persuade him not to trust his memories of the past, when it had been, all this time, so crystal clear and sharp enough to draw blood, each time he fell into fits of remembrance. And now was such an inopportune moment for her to unload this on him. When he'd followed her here, he hadn't imagined the discussion would lead to this. He shook his head, unable to withhold a small laugh. "Got a way with dropping truth bombs at the wrong moment, Mags."

"Perhaps you've a point there," here she paused, then rose to stand beside him. He saw her reflection in the window and realized her face had grown far more weathered, just in the time it took to have this conversation. "It's difficult enough disclosing these things, much harder when a friend is involved."

"I take it there's more," he said sarcastically.

"You were taken away for a reason once you turned seventeen. A clairvoyant approached me about a vision, involving one of the Geminis. Malachai Parker, eldest son of the scion, headed towards a path from which there was very little chance of recovery, and with lasting repercussions that included the end of your line, and your coven."

But none of this was news to him. Not really. His grandfather had always hinted at the potential for evil, had used it as his own little personal storm cloud, that followed Kai since seventeen. Not that it had bothered him much, in the beginning. Over time, that changed. What surprised him was that an entire group of people had apparently been in on this. Monitoring him.

"My coven reached out to Sheila for aid." She sighed, then harrumphed. "And you can be sure that she put up quite a fight. Apparently, her old alliance with your father had grown quite combatative. She and I nearly had a falling out merely from me speaking your father's name. But in the end, she was convinced, quite thoroughly, that you were worth the effort. Can you imagine why?"

Silent, he watched as she contemplated the window, complete blackness serving as the backdrop against their faded reflections there.

"Not all of the times that you and Bonnie have crossed paths ended well in the other worlds." Maggie rubbed her forehead, struggling with more that she wasn't saying. "In this one, I can offer no guarantees. But tonight is crucial. You have a chance to steer it where you wish. Sheila knew the role you might play in her granddaughter's fate. She did what was required to help you both."

"Twisted way to show her approval."

" _Will_ you just get over it?" she said grumpily. "The woman had limited options. Joshua was seeking a way to rid himself of you."

"She was helping him!" But that no longer held up, did it? Not in light of what Maggie had revealed.

Sheila had shown up right before he turned seventeen, hung around for weeks acting shady, closeted in meetings with his father, but then there had been those rare moments when he'd caught his mother and her in hushed, hurried conversations. Then after his birthday, all hell had broken loose, thanks to his father setting some shitty gifts into motion that had royally pissed off his mother. Days later, Joshua had lain comatose, Sheila was inexplicably gone, and he suddenly became his grandfather's ward.

"Ah, now you connect the dots." Maggie smiled smugly. "Your father was deceived. Sheila didn't create a prison world for him to punish you in. Theo gave her plans for a pocket world, and with her blood and magic, they created the home you knew for twenty years." Then Maggie gave him a pointed look. "A home that you still occasionally return to, for escape? You've grown fond of it. You should be thanking her in your prayers at night."

"Not the praying type," he said in a low tone, shoulders dropping. Anger was fast seeping out of his body, leaving him nothing more than a sad, deflated balloon.

Maggie joined him on the bench seat before the window, and perched there with a frown marring her features.

"Your life hasn't been particularly rosy, but it would do you well to remember the same holds true for others."

"Aw, c'mon, you know I'm not one for self-pity. Better to plot your revenge than dwell on your pain, right?"

"My point," she said sternly. "You aren't the only one to have suffered." Then she pursed her lips in thought, fathomless eyes piercing his as she frowned. "I don't suppose Bonnie's told you that she's already died once?"

Cold fingers touched his back, running up along his spine and making his head tingle with dread. "What?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "How-"

"Oh, it's all quite long and complicated. But in the end Sheila pulled strings from beyond the grave to bring her back." Maggie conjured her teacup from where it lay on the small table. She was quiet for a few seconds, turning it in her hands, before sipping her tea coolly. "Dead, Malachai. Not only for mere minutes, as you were prior to resuscitation."

For once Maggie was going to elaborate and now he almost didn't want to hear it.

"Bonnie had a funeral. Her body decomposed for months. Her friends and the little family she has left mourned her, and enough time passed that a few even moved on."

 _Fucking hell._ It took him a while to get past the image of her, six feet under.

Bonnie Bennett, no longer of this world. Buried in a coffin, all her vitality lost forever to time, her skin and bones slipping into decay.

His mouth moved, but no sound escaped, and his hands shook.

"When?" he finally managed.

"The day she graduated high school."

His mind ran quickly. Liv had mentioned they were the same age, which put their graduation to roughly eight years ago. He had been still been with his grandfather then, frittering time away in the pocket dimension, utterly oblivious to the loss of one young slip of a witch.

"Abandoned very early in life by her mother, barely acknowledged by her workaholic father. She buried her grandmother during the start of high school, buried her father when she started college, just when he was finally realizing the time had come for him to get to know his own daughter. A good man, but short-sighted. She has no siblings, unlike you, to distract her from loneliness. All she's ever had is a small handful of similarly damaged friends." Maggie gave him a harsh, unforgiving glare. "Who, one by one, became the creatures that you and your coven despise."

His jaw clenched as he took in this new information, and while it didn't relieve his concerns, it gave him new understanding of how Bonnie functioned in her sad, little world. No wonder she seemed to live for her friends. They were all she had. Her most significant possessions in this life.

She had invited him, repeatedly, to be one, an act he'd scoffed at as meaningless at first because friendship meant he couldn't get in her pants. As much as he felt like she'd been the one dodging progress all weekend, he was guilty of the same.

Yet, she'd worked past her own problems to offer him something even more.

"If she has brought you trouble, as you put it earlier, remember her motives. Doing so always helps to put things into perspective." Maggie's face turned solemn. "She would give anything to help her friends."

"What the hell happened to her mother? She's a Bennett witch, right?" Then the thought struck him, in an accidentally creepy way that, biologically, he was probably the same age as the woman. "Bonnie mentioned she got turned."

"That, I'm afraid, is for Bonnie to explain."

His laugh came out more like a scoff. "Do you know how hard it is to get her to tell me anything? She's like one of those CIA vets who just don't break. Even under threat of waterboarding."

The older woman gave a look of alarm.

"No, I didn't waterboard her," he said, exasperated.

"That's a relief."

How had Bonnie died? And for what? Or for whom? ran through his head. He was of a mind to track Bonnie down just then, and freeze the entire damn lodge just to have a long, uninterrupted conversation with her, where she would let him invade her brain to get her entire life history, and he could maybe yell at her for making some really astoundingly shitty choices in life. Following that, he would take her somewhere more comfortable, and kiss her just to remind himself that she was living flesh and moving bone, this insane woman who had died and somehow walked it off. More than anything, what he needed was to brand her with his touch, so that she knew he didn't want to waste any more time. Because the damn girl had gone and blinked out of existence on him before they had even met. Who knew what catastrophe she was capable of now that they had?

For the first time in two decades, he didn't hate Sheila Bennett. In fact, he could even admit to himself that one thing he had always grudgingly admired about her, which he now wholeheartedly and absolutely without any grudge could appreciate, was the woman's tenacity.

Maggie's eyes had turned incredibly knowing.

"What do I do with this?" he asked hoarsely. "I can't lose her, Maggie."

"The night is almost over. If you can keep her away from any confrontations with members of your coven-"

Here his eyes zeroed in on Maggie's face. "Mickey was in that future." He paced out his worries, crossing from one end of the room to the other. "He already sicced one of those creatures from that vision on Bonnie. Drew blood." Then he chuckled. "Craziest thing, that's not even why she wants retribution. She wants to get him back because of the woman that he possessed. A total stranger."

It was oversimplifying, he knew this. More than just the one stranger, Bonnie's vengeance was on behalf of former and future victims of Mickey's, too. There was no end to that righteous anger, and it made him want to choke someone, sometimes Bonnie, sometimes Mickey. Why she took it upon herself to be the avenging angel here, now-hard to follow. But he had given in.

Because these things mattered to her.

Now he'd have to be an asshole and backtrack on his own promise to her, just to keep her safe. All the while, engaged to another woman.

Bonnie was patient, he knew this by now. But damn. This would maybe fill her quota.

But it would just be for tonight. And he would make it up to her tomorrow.

Maggie sighed. "At the risk of sounding callous, your-Mickey, is it? A casualty that I'm willing to suffer. Bonnie is not." She peered out the window. "I will do my best to help you. If the evening should sour, I shall protect Bonnie and her friends, as well as the children in your coven."

When she rose, her pale lined hands, came to rest on his shoulder. "Don't allow your feelings to cloud your judgment, Malachai. Whatever is necessary to keep her away from dueling with that warlock. If he triggers her Expression to go berserk-"

"How do we know it's that?" he insisted.

She gave him a skeptical glance. "It will take quite a bit to put down a black mage. I know of only two witches in attendance here with the means to take him on. And you were missing from that scene. If the rest of your coven attempted to contain him and his creatures, what the future shows is that they were unsuccessful. Bonnie wasn't. But her success came at a fairly steep price."

"Something else must have happened," he muttered. "Her friends got caught in the crossfire. That would trigger it. Tyler being exposed, getting killed."

He couldn't be tunnel-visioned here. There were any number of things that could have unraveled Bonnie. Mickey happening to be at the center of that vision didn't necessarily prove anything. Maybe there was another way, still a chance that didn't require him to renege on his word to her.

"Make a choice and stick to it," Maggie said curtly. "It's only one night. You should handle your fellow Gemini, as befitting his actions. I'm sure you'll find suitably painful methods to do so. Find something else to occupy Bonnie."

On her way out, she suddenly turned. "Those creatures in the vision. Such experimentation typically involves collaboration. If Mickey is responsible, you can be sure he had quite a bit of help. What they're creating is a unique breed of monster." Then that aqua gaze turned distant, as if something unseen had caught her attention. "Perhaps it's time for the Geminis to consider new types of allies, in the face of such enemies."

Kai followed her outside the room, his mind turning over her words, knowing there was truth there, and remembering, throughout his coven's history, the occasionally necessary but always shaky alliances that had sprung up between the other supernaturals and the Geminis. None of them had lasted. And while his coven never seemed to be struggling for the lack of these symbiotic dealings, there were plenty of examples elsewhere that showed the type of potential left unexplored by their inflexibility.

The topic had come up before, on a semi-regular basis, and he couldn't help hating that it did so now, when his list of pressing concerns seemed to be getting longer by the minute.

As Maggie disappeared back inside the hall, she threw an encouraging nod to him.

 _Stiff upper lip,_ was her message, but he only wanted to slink inside, grab the nearest bottle of old wine, find Bonnie, and find somewhere to hide them away, where they could both drink and bury themselves in each other.

This fucking sucked beyond the telling, and yet he had to do this. No matter that the woman had just proven herself more than capable of being his equal, in every way. They made a great team. At the Wallingsford estate, battling the creature, fighting off the effects of the wards. Her insane idea to let him siphon her to boost his own magic-and it worked, had ended up being their ace in the hole.

What he couldn't wrap his mind around was that though she wielded Expression, he had yet to see her held hostage to it. She seemed completely in control.

Except during sex. That couldn't have led to that shitty future, right? He would cut off his balls if it had.

He strode back inside, feeling the room's focus rest on him like a pinpoint laser beam, cutting him up to dissect his movements piecemeal. A quick gaze showed Bonnie wasn't one of them, she had her own head tilted away, in deep conversation with Caroline and Matt.

Were they seriously talking that hard about the betrothal, or was it something else now? He wasn't even sure which he preferred. His gut clenched in anticipation, as he joined his family for the dinner portion of the evening.

As far as Kai could remember, there was no real official betrothal on file where his name was involved. How could there be? Back when he was a minor and subject to the whims of his parents, he hadn't been expected to take over after his siphoning manifested. Joshua wouldn't have been motivated to seek arrangements on _the abomination's_ behalf. And after Kai's return and subsequently taking over a good chunk of the leadership obligations, he just hadn't had any time to think through his future in that sense. Definitely he would never have used a betrothal to get him anywhere. Plus, he got headaches imagining not only a wife and kids, but that damn _merge_ ceremony.

Another practice that potentially needed tweaking. It was on his list, but not that high up. Rachel's boys were young enough that he figured he had at least a dozen years before he had to worry.

That was, if he himself didn't spawn any twins. A thought which had never truly crossed his mind. But just then, it hit him. Potentially, he would have twenty-two years before he'd have to part with one of his children. Such an idea had never arrived with any real resonance before, and yet now, his eyes scanning the room, he saw Bonnie's shadowed form, sitting at the back table. Her horrified reaction to the play yesterday was common, for an outsider. A ritual ceremony that led children to try to eat one another? Hard pill to swallow for most.

But going through his own merge ceremony had been one of the best things to ever happen to him. Not only because he had been looking forward for most of his childhood to passing the stage with flying colors, and proving his worth, but also because, post-Theo, it was a chance for him to show his siblings, that he really had changed. Jo understandably had been the most scared, irritatingly so, insisting that he meant harm. He'd enjoyed giving her a massive guilt trip, when she realized how much of a bitch she'd been. He had saved her life, with a neat little spell that made the best use of his siphoning powers. Temporarily, he'd absorbed some of her consciousness and empathy, and that had lasted a few months before they faded away. Her powers, though, they remained. A huge damn success, their merge.

Shame that not all of them could be handled that way. With a little tweak courtesy of siphoning, two children could emerge relatively unharmed, with the one side effect being loss of magic instead of loss of life.

His glance went to Jo now, finding his twin perplexed, like most of his siblings. Next to her, Liv seemed almost panicked, spurring his already overworked gut to tense even more. What, now?

Kai resolved to have a quick huddle with her, Bonnie, and the rest of the Mystic Falls crew. Texting would no longer cut it-there were too many notes now to compare, and clearly other events had transpired, while he and Bonnie were away. And though he was certain she had filled her crew in on the lead they had followed-and Matt was probably even now committing the name Mickey Wallingsford to memory and assigning new battle stations to the others, still, Kai needed to give them more warning about the coven warlock.

Mickey fought dirty, and if he happened to be in league with Joshua-everyone needed to tread carefully.

He hadn't been thrilled about Bonnie having her cousin involved, initially, but after his detour with Maggie, another witch on their side was a massive plus. And a Bennett was a Bennett, and that he drew relief from knowing there was one more of them? Pointed to the upheaval of his-up until then-fairly routine existence. At least, as routine as Parker family life could get, caught up in coven dealings.

He caught an irritated look from Liv, which he guessed came from stealing her thunder with the betrothal announcement. But that wasn't right. Liv didn't much give a shit about those things. When she followed up the glare with a concerned glance back to the table where her friends all sat-and she rested her gaze on Bonnie longest-Kai deduced differently. His baby sister had formed her own opinions about the two of them. Took her long enough, was his first thought, before a little alarm bell rang in his head. She was tricky, Liv. As distracted as she'd been the last two days, she'd finally bought a clue and once that happened, had probably run away with it. Arriving at conclusions that were probably more wrong than right.

He hoped that was it. There was a good chance it was something else. Another wrench thrown into their plans, and maybe Bonnie-once again-was at the center of it. The anxiety in Liv's gaze made him suspicious. It wasn't the kind of expression that resulted from worrying over drama. Then he saw Luke, and Mr. Easygoing Beach Boy was giving off vibes like he'd had a run-in with a bloodthirsty shark. Nearby, Tyler seemed to be overly sweaty, his forced smile as painful to see as it was, probably, for him to have to wear.

"Okay over there, Tyler?" he asked his new brother in law.

"Just spiffy," the man replied, casual and yet-not.

Kai narrowed his attention to the table in the corner, where Matt and Caroline were still in deep conversation.

"Congratulations, Kai," Geoff said, already almost done with his entree. "Landing a Crux-nobody saw that coming."

Kai dropped his napkin on his lap with a shrug, casually checking his younger brother for any hidden meaning. "Not even me." Not that it mattered.

"I like her better than the other name I was expecting father to say," Rachel said.

"I'm just surprised Kai's going along with it," Sue put in. "And that's not really nice, Rachel. Fiona's known us as long as the Cruxes."

"How would that qualify her to co-lead?" Rachel shot back. "Alanis suits the role much better. Better pick."

"Let's just make sure dad's not going to throw in any more announcements," Dex said worriedly.

"Worried you'll get collared, little brother?" asked Kai, amused. "Don't worry, it's just for show anyway."

His siblings all fell silent, staring at him. Joshua on the other side of the dais, was still schmoozing and so missed the entire exchange. Darn. He was the one who needed to hear this most.

"But you were just up there," Geoff said. "Like you were all into it. Into Alanis."

"If you say so." Kai speared him with a mocking smile. "Thought it was boredom that hit me, three seconds after having to play nice up there. But maybe it wasn't. Could've been joy. What do I know, right? Even now, I still get my feelings mixed up."

He dug into his salmon cakes, chomping down with zest, as he cast furtive eyes over to the table in the corner of the room.

If this was a normal wedding, maybe the trio in the back would've just been having a heart-to-heart about the engagement that obviously meant nothing good for Bonnie. Her two friends had made it clear to Kai that they questioned his intentions towards her. Not that he'd cared much of their opinion, but his father's actions didn't help his cause any. In a normal wedding, their conversation now-obviously serious-would've centered on rallying their friend's spirits.

Only, everything was far from normal. Even for Gemini standards, things were well into abnormal.

Soon enough, the conversation petered out, everyone suitably distracted with finishing their meals. Quickly, he texted Matt, thinking ruefully that at this point, even after having the best sex of his life with her, he still didn't have Bonnie's number. A situation he would need to rectify soon. Maybe tomorrow. If they were all still alive, and she wasn't utterly consumed with a need to liquefy his brain.

Kai tapped a note onto his phone's memo, leaving his screen unlocked and placing the phone between himself and Tyler. Poking his elbow unobtrusively against the other man's arm, he waited until Tyler casually looked over at the phone, his only acknowledgement a quick stare back.

Kai suddenly slapped his head, dramatically. "Oh, I forgot your present in my car," he said aloud, looking to Tyler and Liv. "It's kind of big, and I didn't bother wrapping it. Guess I can give it to you later."

"We brought Tyler's truck," Liv pointed out seamlessly. "Why don't we just go take care of it now? Might forget later."

But Alanis delayed them, wandering over, a warm round of congratulations erupting from his siblings. They had all apparently delved into short term memory loss, or were just not taking him seriously. Indulging in a moment of anger, he shied away from her fingers when she touched his arm, but couldn't manage to avoid it when one of his sisters made a comment that had her laughing, drawing closer to squeeze his arm like she wanted him to share in the joke. He hadn't heard a damn thing, his mind was busy formulating plans.

"Are you okay with this?" Alanis whispered, when the others turned their attention away. Her eyes held real question, but also, a hint of something provocative glinting out. His hand twitched to shove her face away from his. Women making advances he was used to, and usually fielded them well, regardless if it ended up with shared nudity or simply a 'no thanks.' But just now, it was like a tired joke, where he was the punchline, and Bonnie his audience of one, forced into watching a bad comedy show.

"Not so much, no," he said, but he smiled as he said it, since he was trying to avoid a scene and more problems.

"We should go now," he said to Tyler and Liv.

If it was too simple, and too obvious, warranting suspicion, Kai couldn't tell. The rest of the table was occupied with their dishes, and also, now that Alanis had dropped by, so did a few other coven members. Serving as even better distraction, so at least her visit had some use.

As Tyler and Liv followed him out of the room, he passed by Tariq's table, sensing the old man's unequivocal focus on him. His steps slowed, wondering if there was a problem there. Maybe Tariq was picking up on something off-they would need to be careful with him. As inherently full of ethics as he knew the man to be, he was not without guile-when it suited his purpose. Bonnie and her friends needed to watch out that he didn't uncover what they were. Kai could've kicked himself then, realizing that if the sensate elder was onto them, it was probably because of the ward that Bonnie had finagled with, which he should have fixed to allay Tariq's misgivings.

They entered the elevator, Liv and Tyler spending the whole ride arguing over Tyler's nervousness.

"Work on your happy face. You're making things awkward."

"I am trying, woman. Can't you see? What do you expect, especially now that-"

Here Tyler abruptly fell quiet, in response to Liv's glare. Thank God, since he was just about ready to spell their mouths closed, as they walked to his suite.

When Matt and Caroline arrived, sans Bonnie, what felt like a volcano threatened to erupt from his ears and nose, his magic broiling restlessly under the surface of his form. Was it unreasonable to be upset? No, because as he suspected, she had tossed out their earlier promises to each other. Fickle Bonnie. But he decided not to show it. That would waste time, and lead to him getting chewed out probably by Liv and Caroline. Better to share what he knew, have the others do the same, then kick them all out after working out a game plan. If he finished soon enough, there was probably time to find Bonnie. Although most likely no food sex, because she was just the type to let a fake betrothal become an ethical deterrence to more good times between them.

"Luke's not here, either," Tyler said, disrupting his thoughts.

"Someone needed to keep an eye on things downstairs," Kai said.

Lucky thing that his brother was there, especially with Bonnie also left behind.

Soon he learned that she had already briefed Matt and Caroline, but it didn't hurt to add extra details, as Kai filled the group in on the trip to the Wallingsford estate, the homing beacon spell, and Noah being their spy-without delving into specific details of why his timing made it so off-putting.

Kai finished with a warning. "Mickey knows a lot of nasty spells. Some that can do permanent damage even to vampires. Matt, you need safe guards. You're vulnerable to getting possessed yourself, as a norm."

But the guy only blinked back, unconcerned. "Yeah, way ahead of you, man. Years ago, Bonnie helped me build some mental walls. So far, they've held."

Kai's jaw worked for silent moments, as he imagined Bonnie performing that kind of spell. It was tough, and the degree of trust that it required from the target was huge. Clearly, Matt and Bonnie weren't together now-and he doubted they ever had been. But it set fire to his gut, the idea of her sharing that type of closeness with Matt. Who was just her friend. He didn't know who to be more envious of-Matt, for having had someone like Bonnie most of his life, rooting for him in his corner. Or Bonnie, who in her maddening saintliness, inspired such faith from others, to the point where it was almost a second nature autonomic response. Bonnie Bennett was to someone's trust what a dark room was to pupils. Just mere exposure coaxed them to fully open.

What would she expect, of him? The thought was unnerving. Up until then he had no hesitation at all about where this was going. For a second, and for the first time since meeting her, Kai had serious doubts about what he was doing with Bonnie, struck almost dumb by how far removed from him she was. The sheer impossibility of them, together. Even surrounded with vampire friends and an underworld consumed with bloodlust feedings and inhuman violence, Bonnie's compassion and sheer inherent good remained. At her center was light.

Provided they managed to avoid the armageddon scenario with her powers, and-because his frame of mind was bent towards the negative just then-provided they missed out on the happily-ever-after scenario of married and squabbling during a road trip...

What could someone like him, offer someone like her?

 _...she stepped down the grand staircase, head tilted up, her eyes nervous but everything else about her flawless and divine, as she and her escort joined the awaiting crowd of witches, eager to meet this new arrival..._

His own world was bleak, the Gemini way of life uncompromising at worst and soul-leechingly constricting at best. And his own history, his personal demons battling constantly under the surface of his mind. His life was steeped in shadows.

There was a chance... _he_ was the one who might push Bonnie over the edge.

He shook his head then, clearing his mind, aware that their eyes on him had suddenly turned awkward- _knowing_ , even, in the case of Liv.

"Nobody should be going off on their own anymore, from here on out." He gave Caroline and Matt a hard glare. "Good job on leaving Bonnie by herself. Epic fail, that."

"Luke's down there, remember?" Caroline retorted. "Along with over a hundred other people. Hardly alone."

"And whose fault is it that she didn't want to be here, in the first place?" Liv demanded.

Was it him, or did the two blondes just subconsciously drift closer to stand together? Both of them wore identical glowers, throwing matching invisible daggers his way.

He repressed an irritated sigh, eking out a snicker instead. "Yes, let's get dramatic. There's not enough of that going around."

His thoughts were rapidly firing, though, and the moment struck him as appropriate, to ask a few questions about Bonnie that Maggie hadn't elaborated on. "Clue me in," he said, his tone grave as he looked around the room. "Bonnie, when she di-" he stopped, the words stuck, and he cleared his throat, trying again. "She was gone for a while there, right?"

Guarded faces stared back at him, including his sister's. She couldn't have been there, but she must have known the story by now.

"How'd it happen?"

The others seemed reluctant to share.

"Just-need to know." He swallowed, audibly. "Don't want a repeat."

Of all people, it was Tyler whose head shot up, his sharp glance assessing, as he spoke. "She went overboard with her magic."

Jesus, it was as bad as he'd expected. Kai turned away from the others, moving to the window and pacing. "Did she have Expression then?"

"Not yet, it was before she learned it." Caroline frowned, thinking. "She forced dark and spirit magic together, to resurrect Jeremy."

Her ex? This just got worse and worse. A burst of his own magic pounded within the room, making everyone bristle. He pulled it back in, puffing a quick breath out in anger.

"How 'bout we all agree to be extra careful?" he said shortly. "Let's not give our resident Mother Teresa a reason to sacrifice herself for anyone of us. Understood?"

They all nodded, their expressions tense but also curious, as they all studied him. Shaking their appraisal off once again, and hoping he was barking up the right tree, he turned to Matt. "Something came up while we were gone, right? Let's hear it."

"Rachel has the stone!" Tyler burst out, almost startling Kai with his near-shout.

The others glared at him, and then, one by one, confirmed the news with morose anxiety.

Tyler resumed in a calmer voice, and what grabbed Kai's attention the most wasn't the fact that Rachel was hiding it in her purse, it was that her reaction, as described by Tyler-seemed so indifferent. Was she trying to get caught? Did she think she was being slick? Or possibly-she had no idea what she was carting around.

"Liv sent us all a memo about your family being dysfunctional," Matt said. "But using poison potions on each other is a new low."

"Did you get it from her?" Kai asked Liv.

"No, we didn't want to clue her in." Her face looked troubled. "I scanned her, Kai. She didn't have any traces of recently working her magic too hard. The manifest potion would've left residue."

"Or she had someone else do it," Kai replied. "You're thinking set-up?"

"Why would she be so careless?" Liv asked.

"Carting it around in her purse," Matt said. "Like an optional accessory? Makes no sense."

Kai nodded, considering. "Leave it to me." Then he cast one last look around at the others. "Anything else?" he asked.

"No," they said, almost in unison. At their quiet, unassuming faces-and with all traces of concern suddenly erased from their features-he pursed his lips and chuckled silently.

"Terrible," he said. "Remind me to play poker with all of you. I'd _love_ to fleece you guys."

In the quiet, he could hear the crickets chirping outside. "Five seconds," he warned lightly. "Before I start magically making you sing. What aren't you sharing?"

Liv and Tyler exchanged speaking glances, immediately proceeded by Caroline and Matt doing the same. Kai tapped impatiently on his watch, smirking.

"Fine!" Caroline cried, throwing up her hands.

"Caroline, no!" Liv said, alarm on her face.

"It's okay, Matt and I were never planning to keep it secret."

Liv and Tyler's expressions turned confused. "You and Matt..." Tyler said, trailing off doubtfully.

Caroline wore a look on her face like she'd just tasted sour grapes, directing it to Matt. "Not to throw you under the bus, I mean, yes, it was mostly me, but you okayed it-"

Matt's aggravated sigh cut her off. "We were thinking more trouble was headed our way," he said, facing Kai. "So we decided to tip the odds in our favor. A little."

Kai's brow lifted. "Is that so?" Then he rubbed his stubble, narrowing his gaze in thought, hearing out the rest of the duo's confession.

* * *

A/N: Thanks again for the feedback, you guys! Will try to wrap this one up in another seven or so chapters. Roughly. Having a hard time saying good-bye to this version of Bonkai, so I started a new story to avoid the blues. Will get the first part of that out soon. Hope you enjoyed. :)

leianaberrie: Rachel's not a Gemini Cersei, but now I kinda think that might have been better...aww, but Rachel grew on me...


	26. Chapter 26

_CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX_

"Is it me or is this damn good?" Matt muttered, tucking into his plate of filet mignon with single-minded focus.

The three-course seated dinner was under way, and after her farmers market salad and chilled gazpacho, Bonnie had given up trying to enjoy her food. Not that it wasn't good-everything looked finely prepped and presentation was clearly upscale-like everything else about this wedding. But it all tasted like sawdust in her mouth.

Caroline sighed, staring down at her own entree, the same as Bonnie's-herb roasted chicken with red bliss potatoes. Her vampire taste buds could still appreciate the meal, although Bonnie was well aware that it couldn't possibly compete with a gushing artery. "No, it's delicious," her friend said moodily. "We might as well enjoy our last supper."

Bonnie put down her fork. Misery loved company, and Caroline seemed determined to invite everyone to party hearty with her just then.

The three of them were up to speed on everything. Caroline and Matt on Noah spying, Mickey and the housekeeper, and the homing beacon to root out whoever had Bonnie's blood. And she, on Rachel having the stone-what? And why would she do that to her own sister?-were Bonnie's first reactions, before she remembered that, oh, yes, coven came first before family, with these people.

And now Tariq needed her help, her Bennett-ness, really, to finish something that her grandmother had started years ago.

That one, she was waiting for further progress. Unfortunately hampered, just then, by the reception schedule. The old man's focus had turned to her briefly, once Caroline and Matt finished their story. As if he knew the moment Bonnie decided, with little hesitation, to throw in with him. One hundred percent, she was on board with his plan. Although it would help to know the details.

And also, she had to tell Kai. That was the one caveat. There was no way she could do this behind his back, no matter what Tariq said. Especially now, with Joshua's latest announcement.

Kai and Alanis, engaged.

Silly that it robbed her of mental clarity, even the ability to fill and empty her lungs in a normal rhythm. Why was it that whenever she held something approximating happiness in her hands, and she let herself get to the point that she trusted it was hers to keep, her grip on it either became clumsy, and she lost that little bit of joy she held-or she gripped too tightly, and it broke?

 _Please join me in celebrating the betrothal of my son, Malachai Parker..._

For a few seconds there, the words had reverberated in her head like an echo she didn't want, until they lost all meaning. Semantic satiation, wasn't that the term? 'Hear something enough and suddenly it stops making sense,' her Grams had always liked to say, which always struck Bonnie as funny for a woman who liked to nag.

Well, that was precisely what happened, after Joshua's big reveal. Bonnie had only been able to stare up at the podium and his beaming face and wonder why everyone was clapping. She'd seen Kai and the small smile he suddenly flashed, when he looked at his father, and then Alanis.

Then comprehension returned, rushing over her like a monsoon, just in time to witness Kai standing. In a moment of weakness, she'd nursed a hope that he would reject it. Not a word had been uttered by him before, about any kind of betrothal-Kai wouldn't let this happen to him. When he'd looked at Bonnie briefly, the hope had come alive, giving her the spirit to throw Joshua a death glare. But then Kai had killed it, because he'd stood, and his movements didn't hesitate-not once, not even a tiny bit-as he'd allowed Alanis to take his elbow and escorted the lovely coven witch to the podium. Even smiling at her, as his father gave them both enthusiastic handshakes. When father and son had walked out of the room together, Joshua looked pleased as punch, and Kai-well, he didn't much look like he was leading his father out to fight with him. Maybe this was one of the things that fell under Joshua's jurisdiction, and Kai didn't see much point in contesting it?

What a lucky thing for Joshua Parker that Bonnie had developed the habit of channeling a statue in her worst moments. Not only did that help her maintain the illusion of neutrality, but it kept her magic from doing bad things like causing someone she hated to spontaneously combust into a puddle of tar.

She hadn't decided yet if she wanted to do the same to his eldest son.

But it was nonsense, because she'd only met him yesterday. And this was coven politics. Even if Joshua was the one who put everything into motion, there were factors probably involved, which Bonnie knew nothing about for sure, but it all pointed to some kind of long-standing agreement between the two families. If she thought about it, arranged marriages fit the Gemini way of life. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place-Kai and all his casual connections with women, Fiona's desperate attempts to get his attention and her final gamble to run away with him, Alanis and her coy yet confident ease with him and the rest of the Parkers.

Joshua returned alone, spurring hope once again. Maybe the two had fought, after all.

If he had prior knowledge, Kai was wrong not to mention it before to her. But then if he had, things between would never have progressed this far. How could she have let it? Stealing other women's men wasn't her thing, no matter how much the man in question put himself out there to be stolen, repeatedly, by a series of women. In closets and who knew what other tight spaces.

 _Get a damn grip, Bonnie._

But she held no regrets over anything they had shared this weekend, including the sex. On her part, everything had come from a genuine place. And while he probably couldn't claim the same, not with this unveiled betrothal, then she was mature enough to cut him slack. His coven world boxed him in far too much, and in his shoes, she probably wouldn't even have had the patience to tolerate the bullshit like he obviously had for years now. She would've walked away a long time ago.

His way of dealing was just different. When the weekend rolled along, leading their paths to cross-naturally, he was more than ready to be distracted, swept up in the mystery that outsiders brought. And using her as his outlet, except they both had just been caught unaware of how strong their attraction was. And then, of course, there went Maggie Durant complicating things by pointing out an abnormal connection.

From that objective point of view, Bonnie found herself relating to him. It helped her avoid hating him and what he'd done. In lust with him, that's where she was. If she'd been a little softer in the head, she might have been halfway in love-thank God for having a head full of rocks, as he'd pointed out. Lust she could handle, and ignore.

No wonder he was so persistent with Bonnie about cementing something between them. She had offered partnership, when what he had in mind was basically-a mistress? Like one of those old fashioned continuous affairs from way back, when the terms 'kept woman' was still thrown around. That would be Bonnie, if he had his way.

While it hurt, she had no intention of withdrawing her offer to remain part of his life as an equal-not if cutting ties with him meant their futures meandering too close to tragedy, like in those other worlds.

But not as _his_ kept woman. Screw that. They would find a way to avoid being intimate while they remained partners. They had to, it was their only chance. And she wasn't going to be dramatic, he would be pleasantly surprised with that, she guessed.

Long minutes dragged, where their little table ate in communal gloom.

"This wedding sucks," Matt suddenly said.

Bonnie burst out into laughter, long and hearty, enough that it drew a few smiles from nearby. She even caught Noah Vansel, several rows up, studying her. Which instantly caused her smile to die, when she remembered that the guy was another of their unwelcome shadows.

Caroline followed her stare. "So what're we going to do with that one?" she asked. "You want me to rough him up and get answers that way? I'm so ready for that."

Noah hadn't looked away, and Bonnie now returned the appraising glance with a small frown. "No," she said, finally breaking eye contact. "I'll talk to him first."

"Not a good idea," Matt said.

"Maybe he's with Tariq," she pointed out.

"Or with Mickey."

She shrugged. "I'll find out."

"Okay," Caroline said, with a small, exasperated chuckle. "Look, hon, there's coping, and then there's lashing out. Take it from me. Going on your own to confront someone who might be a threat to us is definitely not coping."

"Isn't it time for us to try the direct route?" Bonnie argued. "Don't you guys wish it was all over with already? I just want us on that flight. I'm so homesick at this point, seeing Damon's face will make me feel better."

"Haha," Caroline said, her entire manner suddenly forced. "Good one."

Bonnie eyed them with suspicious eyes, catching the look that passed between her friends, but was suddenly distracted when she spied Luke at the dais, surreptitiously moving his hand towards Rachel's small purse.

Her eyes widened. Nobody else had caught it, she was sure. Too deft, and barely noticeable, but her glance had happened to be right on Caroline, and directly over her shoulder was Luke's seat in the distance. What had he just done?

They were nearly finishing their meal when Kai returned. The glance he threw to her side of the room was cursory, and his magic was quiet. His entire air seemed subdued, the first that Bonnie had seen. Something had clearly happened, and if Joshua was responsible, she wanted to rage even harder.

"Bonnie," Matt said, glancing nervously down at her arms. She looked also, and saw that tiny wisps of steam was rising slowly out from her skin. Taking a calming breath, she focused on her plate, taking a bite of her cold entree.

Kai's gaze found hers, and she read his discomfort and impatience, as his family chatted with him, Alanis casually drifting over to join at a certain point. Even then, he sought Bonnie's table out, and she made sure to give him reassurance that she wasn't angry. Why, she couldn't say, except she remembered how little he had cared about turning Fiona and Alanis both out of the closet, even sending Alanis away upset, thinking he'd had sex with Fiona.

But he obviously cared what Bonnie seemed to think about this latest announcement, which made everything worse. He was willing to overlook her living outside of standard witch conventions, and all her vampire and werewolf friends. Was this where he expected her to turn a blind eye? His coven's traditions, including an arranged marriage...a wife?

He really didn't know her.

It stung, more than she expected, but they had too many real problems here, for her to be trite. Miffed, maybe, would be what she showed him. She had dignity to maintain here. If the woman had been Fiona, Bonnie would have been compelled to put up a fight-nothing good could come of that match. That viper would just drive him back into sociopathy. But Alanis was different. Even if Joshua was responsible for the match, there was a good chance Kai could find peace and happiness there. Once his father was out of the way. After tonight.

Alanis was not Fiona, was practically coven royalty the way Joshua went on, and had no association with vampires or werewolves. Check, check, and check.

The sound of melodious laughter drifted over from the dais, and she found Alanis, smiling brilliantly with her hand on Kai's forearm, as his siblings and several elders spoke with the newly-betrothed couple.

Bonnie looked down at her plate, her magic surging to her eyes, and she squeezed the table, hard, her knuckles turning white.

"Bon?" Matt asked softly.

"Yeah?" she said, looking up with a smile, but confused because his face was blurry, and so was Caroline's.

Wait, that hadn't been magic stinging her damn eyes. She couldn't possibly be getting teary-eyed now. How stupid of her.

"Oh, Bonnie," Caroline whispered, then looked around, her face murderous. "We should just go. All of us. Right now."

Matt frowned. "Tyler-"

"Him, too. Liv can catch up to us later."

"Don't be silly," Bonnie said.

Matt's phone buzzed then. "Oh boy." He glanced around. "Kai. Meeting. His suite."

Bonnie's heart jumped. Oh, so he did have a plan? She glanced over, saw his smiling face directed to his fiancée. And she knew she just was not that strong. No way could she see him right now. "Go on without me," she urged them. "I know what he's gonna tell you, and you already filled me in. Anything else, you'll let me know when you get back, right?"

She watched Kai, Tyler, and Liv make their exit, and then her pulse spiked irrationally when Kai slowed, passing Tariq's table. The elder still appeared unruffled to her, but Kai was much better acquainted with the guy, and if he sensed anything, it would be a problem. She debated going to his room with the others, after all. But then Kai resumed his pace, and she sighed in relief.

After a few minutes, Caroline and Matt also left discreetly. Catching Luke's gaze across the room, she gave a small smile, tipping her glass to him subtly. So they were both the odd men out, or maybe, choosing to think positively, they were the ones the others trusted to handle things here? Yes, that sounded good.

But not quite. It made her feel like dependable old furniture. Bonnie Bennett, at everyone's service. Leaving nobody hanging, while always, in contrast, left to herself. She munched half-heartedly on her plate of food for several minutes, before deciding that the room was too warm. Where were those columns again? She needed a hard surface to bang her head on the wall and kill her self-pity.

She needed air. And also, Luke's company, because his magic had been subtle earlier, but he'd definitely been up to something. She sent him a text, before standing and making her way out of the room.

Through the French doors behind their table, she stepped into a private garden, with a walkway leading to a gazebo in the distance that overlooked a large pond beyond. There in the far end of the gazebo, she sat on the stone seat, peering over the wall overlooking a pond bordered by irises and cattails.

"Hey, sweetie," called Luke, a few minutes later, walking up.

"Hey, sneaky," she replied, smiling.

But his reply to that wasn't gloating or being cheeky. Instead, he offered furrowed brows and a downturned mouth. "Nope, I got nothing. Sorry."

Of course, because things were going their way far too much. Not.

"I figured I could summon the stone, but it's gone. Rachel must have put it away. Dumb place to hide it, anyway."

"That's what Matt was thinking," Bonnie said. "He smells a set up."

"Liv, too. And Kai will, I bet."

"What about you? Rachel's your sister."

Luke put his hands in his pockets. "I don't know, Bonnie. She's-bossy, you know? But not bad. I can't see it."

She nodded.

"Then again, Kai says I'm a little gullible."

What a bold-faced lie, and Bonnie turned to the man speculatively, wondering why he kept bringing up his brother's name. She said nothing, as Luke took a seat beside her, and they both stared out at the pond.

"My family and the coven," he began. "We're not the easiest people to deal with, Bonnie. It was worse a couple years ago."

She could only imagine.

"I'm not saying my brother came and played Mary Poppins and whipped us all into shape."

She smiled at the image of Kai hanging on to a flying umbrella.

"But he tried. He's not so bad, either. Things have gotten better since he showed his face again."

Luke leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, so eerily similar to Kai that she abruptly saw the family resemblance then, not necessarily in their features, but in the way they carried themselves. Cool and detached, fielding hits without much breaking into a sweat.

"Thing is, not a lot has gone his way. Especially when he was younger. Makes him a wee bit difficult." Luke laughed softly, started tapping his fingers against each other, as he continued. "I was really young when he first left, but he was a pretty scary nut. That, I remember. He came back, still a little nutty, honestly. But this time, the scary's more for show."

That sounded accurate.

"He's capable of great things, Bonnie. Has done some of them already. All without anyone by his side. My brother's not the type to need a social butterfly with a pretty face and nice manners to show him the right way to do things. He learned all that already, when he went away."

Her entire body clenched then, her breath stalling, waiting for the rest.

"I kind of think it's more his personality that's the problem. 'Cause he's really annoying. The woman he ends up with needs to be wonky herself to put up with it. Wonky...and powerful, to keep his ass in line. Also someone with a lot of heart. Not saying he doesn't have one, but he's like the Grinch, you know? There's room to grow there."

When he looked at Bonnie, it was with eyes as clear as a summer sky, warming her with the same pleasant reassurance. "Alanis? She isn't the woman, Bonnie. Just so you know."

His words sparked buoyancy all over her chest, that blossomed until her entire body seemed like it could float up in a nice and puffy plume of smoke, and dissipate happily into the sky.

Luke laughed. "You really got it bad."

Clearing her throat, she waved his last comment away. "No idea what you mean. But while you're here, I need to brief you."

His brow quirked, another Kai-like trait that just then, comforted her. As she updated him on everything, she found herself reassured by his nods and intelligent questions. He even sensed her gnawing worry growing, and offered suggestions on the problem Tariq presented. So far, that was her biggest issue.

"I'll help distract Kai," he said with a smile, waving a hand towards the reception. "Since there's not enough out there to keep him busy, right?"

She tried to return it, but it stumbled and turned into a grimace.

"Bonnie, you don't have to do this. We-"

"I need to," she said, with quiet conviction. "Sneaking Tyler into the coven-I don't regret helping him. But this will tip the scales even between your coven and me and my friends."

And most importantly, Kai would finally be free of his toxic father. But she withheld that from Luke, unnerved because he clearly could read most of her feelings about his brother. Why arm him with more ammunition?

When he left, she spent some more time trying to work through her plans. Next, she would need to find Noah, the thought making her want to seek out a glass of wine for fortification. Whatever he knew, was probably going to be a doozy. Hopefully he wouldn't put up much of a fight sharing it. But she would give him one, if he did.

"Well," came the cool, refined voice. "You again."

Whirling her head, Bonnie saw Fiona, her tall, slinky form approaching the gazebo.

Bonnie said nothing, eyeing her guardedly because the other witch's aura wavered erratically, at times aggressive, as she stepped inside the small space.

"Betsy?"

"Bonnie."

"Whatever." The blonde peered down her nose, sapphire eyes no longer so glittery, but now faded, lacking luster. Bonnie almost felt sorry for her. "I know you're hiding secrets about your friend."

She laughed-hard not to. So precisely the right thing to be hearing just then, especially from Fiona. Because Bonnie really felt like lashing out. And wow, the woman had no idea that she had just picked the wrong time to bring it up.

"What're you talking about?" Bonnie asked, acting dumb.

"See, I think we can help each other out here." Fiona gave a sudden bright smile. "I promise not to hurt you, if you spill what it is that Liv's new hubby is hiding. I know it's something huge."

"Why are you so convinced? What's it matter to you?"

"Certain things never added up about him," Fiona said. "If I was the one to find out, I can go to certain people with the information and maybe-" the woman's face turned hopeful, for the briefest moments, "the night won't be such a total wash out."

"What're you talking about?" Bonnie asked, pouring confusion into her tone, knowing Fiona still thought she wasn't all there. Even as suspicious as the other witch was, that superiority she wore like a much-loved fashion accessory remained Bonnie's biggest help. It meant she could keep trying to get the woman to talk, without much effort, or revealing herself.

Fiona _would_ seek her out. She had no memory of trying this same tactic last night with Bonnie, thanks to Kai's spell that wiped her memory clean of the event. Bonnie was just glad Fiona was alone, unlike the first time. Her minions must have deserted her, now that she was no longer in contention for the seat beside Kai.

"Oh, that's right, you have no idea," Fiona's glacially perfect tone dripped with sarcasm. "See, Betty, that guy who was nice enough to stay and help you and your friends look for that stupid earring earlier? He's kind of VIP in a few circles. Namely, mine. You're going to help me make sure that I gain a VIP slot right beside him." Her face hardened then. "Not some Disney princess wanna-be."

Apt, that description of Alanis. That was how pretty much how perfect she came across. Did that make Fiona-what, Maleficent? She peered up at the woman, remembering the closet. She was only a few years younger than Kai, but her face was youthful. They could've been the same age.

The blonde sat down, then patted the chair next to her. "Now, c'mere. We'll have a cozy little chat and you tell me all about your childhood buddy."

She said it so pleasantly, kindly even, and was so damn beautiful that Bonnie could see how she stayed relevant in this coven. And God, she really, really just wanted to wipe that arrogant smile off this woman's face. Would it be wrong if she caved and did that, just a little? Fiona was hurting. In her own way, she probably did care about Kai, a little. The way poisonous creatures did, of things they wanted to inject with their toxins and swallow whole.

"Get over here," and now Fiona sounded waspish, probably her real tone of voice that she used when not in public. "Before I knock your head around and you lose what little brains nature gave you."

The back of Bonnie's hand went to her mouth, hiding a grin. Oh, _yes_. She was going to slap this witch. Someone had to.

"Fiona," she said, chortling because she couldn't help herself. "You have no idea how badly you need to get out of my face right now."

"Excuse me?" Fiona said, stalking angrily towards her, using her height to tower over Bonnie.

She held her stomach, trying to control her mirth. And anger. "Did I stutter?" she asked, standing, tilting her head back to meet the woman's incensed glare. "Get the hell out of my face." Then she smiled. "Bitch."

Fiona gasped, her nostrils flaring with scorn. The other witch's aura poked out, arcing towards Bonnie.

Bonnie tilted her head, thwacking aside the thin slivers with her own powers. Fiona gasped, then her hand went up to slap her, but Bonnie caught it, blocking impact, and then drew her own fist back and punched the woman in the face.

Muffling a groan when her knuckles made contact with a long, hard nose, the bones in her hand ringing with pain.

Fiona screamed, stumbling back, grabbing her face. "Arrrrh!"

Bonnie stood shaking her fist. "Ouch," she mumbled, and then unleashed the grin she had been repressing. Holy crap, that stung but also-felt _wonderful_.

"You idiot!" came the shriek. "You broke my nose."

Bonnie shrugged. "So fix it. You're a damn witch. Help yourself."

"Oh." Fiona blinked in surprise, still holding her nose. "How do you know..." Then her face clouded with hostile mistrust. "Who the hell _are_ you?"

Bonnie tossed her a disdainful glance. "I'm the person who's been onto you," she said. "And I'm only asking once, Fiona. So think carefully how you answer." She walked slowly to the other woman, squinting. A bone crunched, and Fiona cried out. "What do you know?"

The other witch lifted her hand to counter, but Bonnie had had a taste of her type of attacks the night before. As soon as her insides and her skin began burning, she countered with a vertigo spell that had Fiona stumbling to the floor, her eyes lolling around. "Stop," Fiona said, clutching her head and trying not to retch.

"Are you sure?" Bonnie said. "I could do this all night," she said, repeating the words the woman had thrown at her last night, during the paintball fight in the hedge maze, when Fiona and her lackeys had ambushed her.

"All I know," Fiona gasped out. "Is that I was supposed to be the one to get engaged."

Bonnie shuddered, thankful that part of the plan had changed. But she was getting answers, at least, so she let up on her attack. "To Kai? What's that about? Your coven parents set up marriage pacts when you were all in diapers?"

"Not always. But for those in positions of power, it's normal."

"What about Tyler? Why are you targeting him?"

The other woman lay on the ground, weak and sick to her stomach from the effects of Bonnie's spell. She still managed a glare at Bonnie, though, and that baleful challenging gleam in her eyes put Bonnie in mind of another woman that Bonnie occasionally loathed, sometimes pitied, and always without fail wanted to inflict physical damage to. Katherine Pierce. Except Katherine would've probably already ripped out Fiona's jugular by now, after getting her answers. That, or made some kind of trade-off, to have the other woman's powers end up in service to her.

"Whoever you are, clearly you have no idea how to be a proper witch. When an outsider rejects the covenant oath, that raises red flags. Those of us who put our coven first, saw Tyler doing that as a threat. He's obviously hiding something." She smiled hatefully. "It's just a matter of time before everyone finds out what."

Bonnie made a tiny gesture with her finger, and Fiona began choking, gasping for breath. "The way you say that tells me you know a lot more." She leaned in, her voice soft and sweet. "You're right, I'm not a proper witch wearing fancy little coven tiaras. But I know some handy spells."

Fiona shied away, and Bonnie couldn't help it, the way her magic purred under her skin, Expression powers answering the siren call of barely leashed fury, all of it contained inside her and coaxing her to bathe the world in fire, ice, and blood. "I can peel your brain like an onion, and have you reciting your worst nightmares, your secret hopes, your social, and the password to your online accounts." Bonnie angled a brow questioningly. "I'll let you choose."

"W-What do you want?"

"Names." She was sick of all of the waiting. It was time to bring the fight to the assholes looking to hurt her friends and Kai.

 _Clap clap clap._

Both women turned at the sound, finding Joshua Parker standing there, grinning at the scene.

He held a hand to his chest. "Bravo, Miss Bennett."

Bonnie immediately shot up, backing away, as she eyed him moving forward, then turned to Fiona, who was looking relieved as she tried to stand.

"Joshua," Fiona said. "This woman attacked me."

And wasn't that rich? "You provoked me," Bonnie muttered. "Do it again, both of you." She was really itching to hurt people. Why not start with these two? "See how much crankier I can get."

Joshua's face took on a look of caution. "Miss Bennett, I'm not your enemy," he said, his tone wary, hands up in the universal gesture that meant good will, but coming from him, was really meaningless.

"Joshua!" cried Fiona. "She attacked a member of the coven! She's a witch, hiding from us!"

"Settle down, Fiona."

The older man spun to her, glaring but saying nothing. Fiona suddenly quieted, but not for lack of trying. Her mouth continued moving, but no sound came out. Joshua shook his head in exasperation, as he turned back to Bonnie.

"You know who I am," she said evenly. Then she waved a hand behind her absent-mindedly, and Fiona suddenly dropped off to sleep.

"Sheila's granddaughter," Joshua said, smiling now.

"What do you want from me?"

Joshua perched carefully along the wall of the gazebo, his face benign as he studied her. "Merely your time," he finally said. "I'm disappointed that you haven't revealed yourself to me or the council. Your grandmother and I were the allies in the past."

The words turned her stomach, and she fought to keep revulsion from her face. Instead she glanced around, noting how in their solitude, it would be an easy thing to let her magic out and take care of Joshua Parker for good.

"Now I wonder," said Joshua. "How much your grandmother taught you about the mystical community? Clearly, not enough."

What was it with covens and their lack of a filter when it came to passing judgment on her upbringing? She had to work on her facial expressions, maybe they were too open and inviting. When she got back home, she'd ask Damon for some pointers on how to look appropriately off-putting. He seemed to have that one down pat.

"For instance, most covens don't take kindly to subterfuge. We like to do it ourselves, naturally. But being on the receiving end?" He shook his head. "We also take great precautions, coven leaders especially. We wear target signs on our backs. It's only natural we turn a little paranoid. Go a little extreme with our methods of self-preservation."

His smile remained kind, while she raised a questioning brow.

"Resurrection masks," he said. "Have you heard of those? Handy things."

This time there was no hiding her frown. They were handy, and hard to come by.

"I would be a very difficult man to kill, Miss Bennett. If someone were to come along and wish harm on me, they would only be inviting grief on themselves."

Now it fell into place, the reason why Kai allowed his father to continue his role in the coven. He must have found out early on during his return to the coven about this particular contingency of his father's. Joshua probably held it over his head. Bonnie let out a tiny exhale, trying to relieve that sense of suffocation growing in her chest.

"Now I know you'd never be that person," he said. "Such incivility, from Sheila Bennett's granddaughter?"

"You'd be surprised," she muttered. "My mom wasn't around to teach me better manners."

"So I heard. Poor Abigail. Never quite lived up to her mother's shadow, did she? Your grandmother was an Envoy when she was your age, did you know?" His reminiscing seemed to please him, because he nodded approvingly. "Adept at it, too."

Bonnie waited, not willing to fill in any gaps in the conversation. Why arm this loathsome toad with ammunition. He wasn't telling her anything about her grandmother she didn't already know.

"She was also instrumental in helping my eldest son," he continued. "Without her, who knows where Malachai might be? History of instability, that one."

Now that, she was totally ignorant about, despite her best efforts to get Kai to disclose.

Joshua's expression of fatherly concern was so sincere just then, Bonnie found herself tipping her head in mock sympathy. She recalled her own father, giving this same look back when she'd been under Shane's thumb, giving her a lecture about staying out of the professor's influence. Difference was, Rudy Hopkins hadn't put on an act. She'd really given her father reasons to need higher doses of his blood pressure meds. He'd cared enough to worry.

No matter how he tried to appear, no actual feeling seemed to emanate from the man before her now; he could look as sad as he wanted but cold-blooded was what she picked up on.

"Lucky thing Kai's got such a caring father looking out for him," she murmured now.

"Yes," Joshua nodded, his black eyes alight with pride. "I like to think I've done right by him and the coven."

The sheer insanity of what came out of his mouth-did he really believe it? That had to be what gave him such an air of authenticity. The road to hell was paved with good intentions, was how it went. She could easily see how Joshua Parker managed to look at himself in the mirror day after day. He'd convinced himself he was doing what was best for the well-being of the many, by hurting the few. Megalomaniacs always tripped up this same way.

"When he was younger, we were all worried Malachai would murder us in our beds."

She blinked. "What?"

"Then we got advanced warning that he would do just that." Joshua shifted, clasping his hands solemnly together, as he faced her. "Magic. Such a wonderful thing, and lack of having it was Malachai's downfall. Or so we were told."

Bonnie was barely breathing now.

"He was on the verge of snapping, set to slaughter half the family with his bare hands, and later come back and destroy our entire coven." Joshua's disturbed gaze found hers. "Your grandmother was brought in, when it came to her attention that he would eventually also do harm to her loved ones. You. Your friends."

No, no, no. He was a liar, pathological and profoundly good at it. Bonnie's hands twitched, fighting a chill and the urge to lash out with her magic as it tried to surge out from her bones.

"I see you're having difficulty believing. But there's a journal somewhere. All the observers keep some type of record. Sheila got a hold of one. Then she came and offered her magic up. Used combination therapies you would find in today's mental health clinics. When those methods failed, she worked with Malachai's grandfather to rehab him for quite a bit of time." Joshua sighed deeply, sounding exhausted. "It was a long road, Miss Bennett. But quite effective. As you see."

He eyed Fiona. "That one's been desperate to secure a position beside Malachai. Unfortunately, her temperament isn't suited to someone like him. He needs-a gentle touch." His brows raised at the last bit. "Alanis is a suitable match. She can tame those parts of him that are unhinged, and fits perfectly into his life. Together, the Geminis would go far under their leadership."

When he stood, his nose was held high, and he looked down at her with an austere graveness that Bonnie remembered seeing on Kai, back when they were in his family's home, and he'd warned her not to attempt the spell to lift Tyler's curse. Ruthless. Cunning. In select ways, the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

"Out of respect for your dearly departed grandmother, Miss Bennett," he said, in tones of haughtiness. "You get one warning. If you have any concern for the well-being of your friends, and yourself? Keep away from my son. We Geminis have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to certain things. If I were you, I wouldn't keep pushing your luck tonight." Then out of nowhere, he gave another of his fatherly smiles. "If all ends well, down the line, we can return to some semblance of an alliance. Your grandmother would have wanted that."

Then he walked off, but not before adding, over his shoulder, "That all depends, if you're willing to shed old friends, to make room for new ones."

Bonnie waited until he completely disappeared from view, before she shot up out of her seat to pace, concentrating on keeping her powers at bay, threads of it poking like needles under the surface of her skin, trying to get through and puncture into anything within her reach, but especially, it wanted to reach out and grab a hold of Joshua and fill him with holes, to bleed him dry of both his blood and his essence. The yawning need overcame her momentarily, and she watched tendrils of her magic arc out before she gasped, clenched her fists, and tucked them back inside.

"Oh, God," she choked out.

Joshua was a piece of shit, manipulative and beyond evil, but not transparent in any way because she couldn't figure out why, despite all of her instincts, his final message seemed to be of protecting Kai. From her? The bastard had pushed all the right buttons. But could she push back?

There was only one way.

Stalking inside the reception hall, relieved that Kai and her friends had yet to return and that Luke seemed to be on top of things, she found Noah Vansel.

"We need to talk."

His blue eyes registered no surprise, only relief, and within moments, they found themselves back outside, and she let him guide her, through a familiar path. Presently, they arrived back at the redwood circle where the ceremony had taken place earlier. Under the cover of darkness, what had been a fairytale setting now turned ominous, the empty clearing shaded in massive branches overhead that plunged the area in total darkness. Noah muttered quickly, flames dancing from the tips of his fingers their only source of light.

Tariq waited there, on the platform between the massive stone twins.

"Bonnie Bennett," said the old man gravely, light from Noah's flames chasing shadows on his face. "I knew-"

"My grandmother," she cut him off, rudely. "Yeah, sing me another one. What do you need me to do exactly, and will it get rid of Joshua for good?"

Noah bit into his mouth, his brows rising, but she glared at him, and he schooled his features into complete calm.

Tariq nodded slowly. "Anger helps. Focus it." He tilted his head in the smallest of moves, and Noah stepped forward then.

He fished inside his jacket, and pulled out a metallic object, and he cut his eyes around, the flames growing larger overhead, casting the device he held up into better focus.

She stared down at an interconnected series of cubes wrapped in springs and coils, with concentric circles wound around its middle. "This here is where we need you," Noah said.

"What is that?"

"Originally it was an ascendant. We need your magic to reactivate it."

"Why was it inactivated in the first place?"

Here Noah eyed her appreciatively. "Yeah, definitely Sheila's granddaughter."

Oh, right. Of course. Another Gemini witch, who had known Grams. Except he looked her age, so she wasn't sure how that worked out. "Don't tell me," she said. "My grandmother was your mentor, ally, friend, worst nightmare. Or, all of the above?"

He smiled. "No. I met her a couple times, but I was too young for council duties back when she was an Envoy. Just heard stories." Then he grimaced. "I was sorry to hear when she passed."

If she wasn't careful, she was really going to start not disliking the guy. He was probably the first and only genuinely nice Gemini she had met to date. Outside of Luke, and even he was many shades of snarky, but that seemed to be just part of the Parker genetic code.

"Sheila helped Joshua build it," Tariq said. "To trap Malachai. Prison world."

Without thought, Bonnie conjured one of the seats from the rows facing them, and plopped unseeing onto it.

Not pocket, but _prison_ world? No wonder Kai hated her Grams.

"He wasn't the same back then," Noah offered, reading her expression wrong.

"So I heard."

Her grandmother didn't go through with it, obviously.

"They tried other ways to help. But we're a coven, not a hospital. Your grandmother and Kai's father, the methods they used. Not exactly something Kai was on board with."

Lobotomies and shock therapy, magic style, had been the gist of Joshua's words earlier. Yes, her Grams had made some excellent choices in life herself. Bonnie was thrilled to see how that ran in her family.

"I don't know the specifics, but your grandmother eventually fell out with Joshua. Around that time was when she...well, broke the ascendant." He moved to stand by her. "It's not common knowledge what happened to Kai during the years he went missing."

"Sheila helped Theo," Tariq added. "Made amends."

She could've hugged the man for saying that, and only hoped it was true. But Kai must not have been made aware of Grams allying with his grandfather. "How do you know all of this?" she asked, unable to completely erase all traces of distrust from her tone.

"Was there," Tariq said. "Your grandmother. Good woman. Don't mope."

"I'm not moping," she seethed.

"We don't have a lot of time," Noah said, hand raking his hair, and she read nervousness there, as he glanced back to the reception. "Tariq needs to go back, people will question if he's gone too long."

"But not you?"

The charming glance he threw her hid all signs of the worry he'd shown just seconds ago. He was good. "Nobody would read much into me seeking out the company of a beautiful woman."

These Geminis were some of the most practiced flirts she had ever encountered. Was it something they honed along with their cloaking spells during grade school? Never had she felt more out-of-sorts than here, with this assorted collection of powerful, attractive, flirty, insane witches.

"What happens after I activate it?"

"We lure Joshua out, cast the spell, and boom. He's gone."

"In the prison world? For all eternity? Strange punishment."

"No," Tariq said. "Not prison world."

"I ran into him before," Bonnie confessed. "Joshua. He...gave me some not so friendly advice. And mentioned the resurrection mask." She sighed, then ran her fingers along the side of her face. "I must've given off homicidal vibes unintentionally." She really hated the bastard. "Or on purpose."

Noah groaned. "Don't tell me he knows who you are?"

She pursed her mouth at him, eyes rolling. "If you and Tariq found out, why not? I might as well march back in there and announce it to the assembly at this point."

"I discovered you," Tariq said. "From Malachai's ward. You left residue. Bennett magic. Easy to spot."

"He's a sensate," Noah explained.

Bonnie nodded, irked because that was something that Kai could've let her in on. Naturally, the guy had let it slip his mind. Although maybe it worked out this way for a reason, and-

She stopped suddenly, a thought crossing her mind. "When did you start spying on me?" she asked Noah.

The way he was trying to avoid looking directly in her eyes told her that he suspected correctly what happened between her and Kai, after his secret surveillance earlier in the evening. Her cheeks were probably the most flushed they'd ever been her entire life.

"This afternoon, after Tariq warned me to be on the lookout."

She nodded. Someone else had been watching her and Kai during breakfast then. Not Noah, and not the possessed woman currently at the Gemini compound.

Finding her resolve, she stood and faced Noah and Tariq. "Let's do it."

Noah smiled grimly then offered the device out for her to study. She took it from him hesitantly, its cast iron weight like a boulder in her hand, ribbons of silver and gold running along its edges.

"When Tariq found it a few months ago, it didn't look like this. He worked with another coven to fix the parts, and they tweaked the spell. Like Tariq said, it's not meant to portal into a prison world anymore, Bonnie. They turned the ascendant into a Tesseract."

Her head lifted sharply, his words for some reason causing a tingle to start from the bottom of her feet and work its way up, until it felt like pinprick needles had sprouted all over her body, all the way down to the tips of her fingers. Her mind raced through what she could remember of her grandmother's cosmology grimoires.

Tesseract meant four dimensional objects, and from that her mind leapt to a closely related topic, space-time. This was headed exactly where she was both dreading and hoping.

"Where will it send Joshua?"

"World without magic," Tariq said. "He'll have none."

"He can never find his way back here," Noah added. "And he'll never put Kai or Liv or his other kids at risk again."

"Or ruin the coven." Tariq's exhale was rough, angry.

Unblinking, she let that sink in, and for a whole minute just tried to wrap her mind around the fact that she held in her hands, a device that allowed for hopping between universes. Not a time machine, a world machine. Right now, the spell Tariq had in mind would only work for one specific dimension, but with the right tweaks...the possibilities were endless.

"People would kill for this thing," she said, turning the Tesseract over in her hands.

Tariq and Noah positioned themselves at sixty degree angles, as Noah swirled his finger around. A circle appeared around them, and Tariq tapped his cane, a rush of wind escaping from it along with a gentle spark, fire lining the circle and forming into a triangle connecting their forms, lapping softly at their feet. Bonnie didn't feel it even as the flames flicked her toes.

Tariq's deep gravelly voice carried the incantation, Noah joining him seconds later and Bonnie listened quietly to them for a few moments, before she picked up on the words.

Branches overhead swayed roughly when her magic soared out, kicking the fires under their feet higher. When she started chanting, too, she let her veil fall away, and she kept her eyes open, watching Tariq's earthy magic form around them, solid and comforting, as Noah's leapt out, green and winding like a live snake through the their protective circle. Her own familiar black and gold threads tangled with theirs, lifting up and around, and soon her colors took prominence, fire and wind swirling around them in a dome.

She narrowed her focus on the device as it shot from her hand and towards the center, floating there above their heads, silver and gold edges on the Tesseract bright with life now. Twisting her hand, the dome of power around them twisted into new shape, a helix. With effort, she lifted both hands, and shot them out in front of her. The helix arched, reached towards the device, and the wheels and springs suddenly spun into action, a small hole appearing in the midst of the silver and gold concentric circles, sucking the magic out of the air.

With a small whoosh, and abrupt darkness, the spell ended, and the Tesseract dropped softly to the grass.

Bonnie stumbled back, feeling wetness on her nose. She swiped at it with a hand, and saw a little blood. Not too shabby.

Noah and Tariq, she saw, were sprawled on the floor. And she'd completely missed when that happened.

"Hrmp," grumbled Tariq, rising slowly without much help from his cane.

Noah's face was dazed as he gazed up at her. "Whoa," he breathed.

Tariq was standing, straightening. His cane tapped once, and the remnants of their spell work disappeared. The singed platform went back to normal rustic wood, and the clearing appeared exactly as it had before the spell. The Tesseract flew from where it lay on the ground and into Tariq's hands.

"Thank you, Bonnie," the old man said gruffly.

"Let me know when you'll use it?" she asked.

He nodded gravely, then tilted his head to Noah. "Don't tarry."

Then he disappeared.

Uncontrollable trembling overtook her then.

"Bonnie?" Noah moved even closer, and she stopped him, her hand grabbing his.

"That was kind of huge," she said, nodding and smiling a little, a deranged sort of calm taking over her, and spurring more shaking.

His return smile was confused.

"Residual," she muttered. "Why didn't you guys tell Kai?" He was their rightful head. She realized it was a question she should've asked earlier, but dealing with the Joshua problem had been her primary goal minutes ago. "Shouldn't he be involved?"

"Tariq's afraid the way your grandmother and Joshua built the device, it'll recognize Kai if he gets close to it when it's active. They don't want him being affected."

"It's volatile magic," she agreed. "I can't believe my Grams made that."

"No?" he asked lightly. "You Bennetts are pretty spectacular."

She glanced up at him then, saw the appreciation in his eyes turning warmer.

Juuuuust what the situation needed. She pulled her hands away.

"With Kai carrying the Gemini spirits," Noah went on, looking awkward. "The Tesseract might target him instead of Joshua. We can't risk losing our real leader, when we're trying to get rid of the dummy one."

"Kai can't be around when you guys send Joshua away, then."

"Right." His expression turned even more embarrassed. "My sister was supposed to help with that."

The words caught her, not just curiosity about what he meant but also, she suddenly remembered Fiona.

Yikes. "Um, Noah, your sister-" then her shoulders sagged, and she covered her face with a hand, fighting the urge to laugh uncontrollably. She closed her eyes instead, and summoned the woman, who appeared off to the edge of the platform, still sleeping.

Noah's glance took in his sister, slashing a brow up inquiringly.

"We had a run-in," Bonnie explained, lamely.

He sighed. "Listen, Bonnie," he said, apology laced throughout his tone. "My sister can be a pain."

"You don't say?"

He nodded, mouth pursed in acceptance. "Fiona knows something-she always does," he said earnestly. "But she never knows enough." His hands lifted up in frustration. "I asked her earlier, to help Kai. We were trying to find a way to get him out of the bounds of where this spell might reach." He shrugged. "She offered to try to take him somewhere. Apparently, she knew ahead about the change in who his betrothed turned out to be."

Bonnie let her gaze turn sharp.

"That's all she knows," Noah insisted. "We tried, but that's really all Tariq could get."

"Try harder."

"She was willing to help keep Kai out of trouble. She's not out to hurt him."

Sapphire eyes held hers, so much like Fiona's but the complete opposite because it revealed a human being lay behind the face, instead of a cold, calculating reptile. "When we found out you and Kai were involved, that's when we thought we needed your help aside from just activating the Tesseract. Figured," he stopped, clearing his throat, "you could be the one to convince him to stay away. If not you, maybe your friends could distract him while we complete the spell."

As he spoke, the tremors returned.

Noah frowned worriedly. "Is that normal?" he asked, his hands holding on her forearms, trying to calm her.

"Maybe," she muttered. "I'll let you know for sure next time I activate some obscure powerful world hopping tool."

His smile turned wry. "Kind of beating myself up right now that Kai got there first."

Bonnie almost gasped, offended. "What?" she demanded.

"Your number," he said, then his eyes widened, realizing how his words came across. "Kai beat me to it. Your cell phone...number. Is all."

A blush formed on her cheeks, and then she thought about it, and realized that he was wrong. She laughed. "Actually, no."

His hands were wrapped around hers, as he peered into her face. They were standing far too close together, but only because she was still shaking and he was only trying to help.

Nothing was going on, but it didn't look that way, if anyone were to walk in on them.

"How _cozy_."

And of course, Kai did, just then.

Bonnie and Noah jumped apart, their heads turned to side, where Kai stood, holding a large glass of wine in his hands, sipping from it coolly while in his eyes-an inferno raged.

"Spying on us whetted your appetite, Vansel?"

Noah moved away, his stance placating, while Bonnie hadn't budged, not even just a little. She was slow to react, practically a snail stuck in mud just then. Would that be her new normal, when it came to her and Kai and this world of the Gemini coven?

Alanis stood a few paces behind Kai, her face as perplexed, and Bonnie was thinking, _well, finally, someone else, in the same state of mind as me._

"Well, Bon, care to enlighten me on exactly," he waved between her and Noah, wintry smile in place. _"What. The. Fuck?"_

Utter confusion reigned over her thoughts. Kai just kept smiling, calmly, as Noah walked up to him. Then Kai whipped his hand across the podium, breaking his wineglass. Blood dripped from his fingers, trickling down his arm, as he grabbed the other man and shoved him against the podium, holding a sharp jagged edge of glass against Noah's throat.

Someone screamed, and Bonnie thought at first it was her own voice, but that wasn't right, because she was frozen in place.

"What are you _doing_?" Alanis shrieked.

Kai glanced over at Bonnie.

"You tell me, Bon. Do I need to kill him for any reason? Be honest now." He let his gaze grow playful, and succeeded in looking like a bloody maniac, crimson streaking down his crisp, white shirt. "Rule number three. Partners don't lie to each other."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Kai riled up enough for ya? ;) Probably not LOL

Again, thanks for the feedback, guys. This fandom is truly the best, so glad I went Bonkai. Sometimes I think canon Kai should stay dead on the show, b/c at least throughout his run Bonnie was his #1 (obsession). And it feeds our shipper hearts. If they ever resurrect him, I think JP would gladly demolish that. So-thanks for sucking, show! Although a guest return once or twice so we get that hot Bonkai hook-up (a la Klaroline) would be nice, no?


	27. Chapter 27

_CHAPTER 27_

Half a mile away from the brightly lit lodge, just outside the bounds of a rock quarry surrounding the base of the Three Sisters mountains, an SUV sat parked unobtrusively behind large boulders that kept it from view of the main road just ahead, its tail lights off.

Inside, the radio played the beginning of a song, catchy riff sounding out low within the confines of the darkened car, as three people squished together in the back seat shifted uncomfortably. The two men in the front drummed their fingers against their armrests, similarly styled crossbows resting on their laps.

 _"Ooga-chaka, ooga-ooga, ooga-chaka, ooga-ooga, ooga-chaka, ooga-ooga..."_

The older man behind the wheel looked out the window restively, head nodding in time to the words.

"Is there _anything_ else to liste-"

"No," said the younger man in the front passenger side, blinking calmly while keeping his eyes peeled towards the window. "Stop asking."

"You're gonna let him talk to me like that?" muttered the man seated by the backseat window, leaning over to eye the brunette woman sitting at the other end, holding her phone in hand.

"That's how he always talks to you," she said without any interest. "Did you pay the electric bill? Email says it was due yesterday."

The man waved a dismissive hand and snorted, to which the woman shook her head in exasperation.

The man in the middle seat leaned forward then, brows puckered and emphasizing the distinct line of his forehead. "We should call Caro-"

"Nope," said the younger man in the front. "They said to wait for the signal. So. We wait."

The man in the middle of the back seat leaned back, brows furrowing deeper. Beside him, the other man poked his elbow out.

"See? Little Jer's getting fresh, I vote we send him out to-"

"Be quiet," came the chorus of the other four in the car.

The man's lips pursed in irritation, and presently he too looked out the window, squinting resentfully at the darkness beyond.

A minute later, another song rang out, and this time the man in the back began bobbing his head in approval. The man in the middle shifted uncomfortably once again, and the woman tapped out buttons on her screen, looking up briefly as a strong breeze outside brought dirt and small pebbles flying up.

"Was that a signal?" asked the man beside her hopefully.

"I don't think so," said the woman, her face thoughtful as she looked out at the lodge in the distance.

"Something's definitely up."

"We wait," came the firm voice of the younger man up front.

Another gust of wind, stronger this time, sending a pebble flying up to hit the windshield. It landed with a crack, chipping the glass.

"Aw, shit." The older man behind the wheel leaned forward, nose wrinkled in consternation as he studied the damage. "Knew I should've gotten the rental insurance."

"Eh, don't sweat it," replied the man beside him, gaze still trained outside. "If you used a credit card to book the rental, they give complementary coverage."

"I did. Good to know."

"Live and learn. You were a hunter way before me, you never rented a car before for any scouting?"

"I hotwired all my rides, 'til I saved enough money to get my own."

They lapsed into companionable silence, while the backseat occupants remained tense, waiting for more, or worse, or something obvious aside from a mere small claims issue. But the wind died down, and soon all five people settled back into their seats. The car plunged once more into the soft sounds of oldies but goodies.

 _"...just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry, you don't have to worry..."_

* * *

With a new plan ironed out-and a few contingencies-Kai proceeded to kick everyone out of the room and then, in seconds, had all of his belongings packed neatly, his luggage winking out of thin air as he magicked them into the trunk of his car.

He made a quick stop to Liv's suite, taking care of one portion of the plan that she insisted was necessary. Then he made his way downstairs, eager to pull Bonnie aside because her friends, for once, seemed to have done something right. And now his idea-of ending the night with her at his side, and on their way to places far enough from his family, his coven, and her friends that they could enjoy uninterrupted time with each other-it all seemed close enough to touch.

Naturally, when he re-entered the hall, Bonnie was nowhere to be found. Instead, what welcomed him back was a throng of well-wishers from the coven, pulling him and Alanis into a large group near the dais. Dinner service was over, and the band set up on the balcony above now played a variety of songs, encouraging the crowd to mill, a few couples and groups of younger kids already dancing. People enjoying themselves without a clue that the ceiling might come crashing down over everyone's heads at any moment.

Stuck, Kai sent out a text to Matt and Liv both, to keep an eye out for Bonnie.

"Chill," came the amused voice, right by his shoulder.

Luke stood beside him, small smirk in place.

"She's outside, taking a breather."

"By herself?" Kai asked tensely.

"Give her some space, bro," Luke said, shrugging.

"We're up to ears in shit. She's trying to swim in it by herself. Fastest way to sink."

"Oooh, running low on metaphors." Luke chuckled knowingly, as he eyed Kai. "You're not doing any better than her, are you?"

Kai threw him a scowl. Obviously, his brother had had a little too much to drink. So much for being his right hand man. But then Luke leaned in, his voice growing serious. "Stone's gone from Rachel's purse."

Kai grimaced. Great.

Meanwhile, Alanis continued charming the elders and coven members around them, as she brushed her bare arms against his chest, glancing up at Kai coyly.

He peered down at her speculatively. She was under the impression that he'd recently had sex with Fiona in the closet. Earlier, she'd run off, upset, but now seemed to have put it behind her. Either she was monumentally forgiving, or she really didn't much care. Lots of marriages within the coven were in name only. If Alanis was serious about this betrothal, and not in on some plot laid out by Joshua, then he had a clue where this marriage would lead, each of them entertaining themselves elsewhere, after their marital obligations were fulfilled.

Once, he wouldn't have much cared if that was his lot in life.

He moved away, restless as he stepped to the edge of the crowd and grabbed a large glass of wine from a passing waiter. Around the room, the chandelier lights had dimmed to allow strobe lights their turn, casting the hall into a colorful, hazy effect. More bodies pressed around the main dance floor, with stray groups of people still chatting in their seats or standing together at the edge, watching the dancers.

Then Rachel crossed his line of vision, passing through one of the arches.

His magic spurring to action, Kai swung a quick rope of power out to hold her in place. When she stopped, surprised, he tilted his head for her to follow him, making sure to keep a neutral smile. He led her up the stairs, pretending to point out a problem with the band placement, as his sister frowned.

"I'm sure Liv wanted them up on this side of the balcony," she insisted, loudly because the band was right next to them and they practically had to yell at each other to be heard.

He shrugged. "Could be," he said, then moved her further to the side of the second floor walkway, as he glanced casually down at the assembled guests, most now on the dance floor. They had a better view of the room from here, while nobody downstairs had a good view or could possibly overhear them, with the music from the band blaring out so close by.

Kai stepped nearer to his sister, sharpening his gaze.

"Rachel, I'm going to need that stone," he said, close to her ear.

His sister's strained face became confused. "What stone?"

"The one in that was in your purse."

Her face cleared then, followed immediately by a frown. "Isn't it a jewel? I thought we were waiting until later to surprise Liv and Tyler with it."

The fuck? "What're you talking about? How did you get it?"

"Dad asked me to hold it for him."

Kai stepped back, fists clenched. "Did he now? Where is it?"

"My purse."

"Sure about that?"

Huffing, she slipped her small purse out from a concealed pocket in her dress, then opened it. Rachel's frown grew more pronounced. "It's gone," she said.

Kai's brows raised sarcastically.

"What's going on?" she asked, irritated. "Who took it? Where's the missing setting he was looking for? If you guys screwed this up, we won't have it ready to present later."

Kai pinched the bridge of his nose, chuckling. "We have a bit of a problem, Rach," he said. "I need your help. Grab Jo and Dex. _Only_ them, are we clear?"

She nodded. "Where are you going?"

"Gotta find a couple people first," he murmured, as they made their way down to the first floor. "Have everyone meet me in the gazebo outside in fifteen minutes."

Rachel was quick to obey, and for once he appreciated how by the book she was with such things. But shortly, she was going to find herself tested. Her and the rest of his siblings that-he was taking a leap of faith-he could safely assume weren't in cahoots with their father. Because now he'd reached the threshold of his patience, and before he completely boiled over, he wanted to give one last try, to bring a few more people in. The stakes were too high now, not to gather as much help as possible.

As much as was needed to make sure that one future didn't come to pass.

He sure as fucking hell wasn't letting Bonnie's magic consume her, not when they had years of arguing and partnering and sexual exploits ahead of them. Maggie's visions be damned. If they couldn't get to the one happy future quick enough, they were still going to get somewhere. They would find a way somehow. If he had to become Rainbow fucking Brite to get there, done. And meanwhile she had to learn to embrace the aspects of her that were more like Mumm-Ra than Glinda the Good, because only in exploring that part of herself would she really find peace.

That had to be exhausting for her, always being so goddamn noble.

His eyes scanned the room once more. What caught his attention was his father, standing by one of the columns, deep in conversation with Althea Crux.

By her glower and stilted body language, and his father's unspeaking, almost regretful expression-it didn't look like a happy exchange.

 _Eat shit, dad._

Running his tongue along the points of his teeth, he indulged in a smile, before he stalked along the walls, his eyes now checking if Bonnie had made it back to the room. Roaming the growing crowd of dancers, watching their slowly moving forms swaying in time to the set of slow ballads the band was playing, he had a thought that if he found her just then, maybe they had time to squeeze in a dance now. The thought quickened his steps.

But he was brought up short, by Alanis sliding into his path.

"Are you avoiding me?" she asked, her tone not upset, but instead light and playful.

"No." He simply forgot about her, but that would be rude to say, right?

"We should have a moment to ourselves," she said, then grabbed his arm and guided them through the French doors.

Kai hid a grimace behind a large sip of his glass, following her down the path outside, the fragrance of a garden tickling his nose. A few street lamps lined the walkway, the ambiance perfect for that lovers in the dark scenario that he desperately wanted to avoid here with Alanis. So he walked ahead of her, focusing on his drink.

He didn't realize Alanis had stopped. "Fiona?" she asked.

His gaze went up and around.

Alanis pointed to a spot off the side of the gazebo.

The blonde witch lay on the grass, asleep.

Alanis's laughter was tinkly and delicate. "Drowning her sorrows," he heard her mutter, catty.

Kai let his eyes shoot up to the sky. God, he was stuck in high school with these women.

He realized then, just how much he wanted to throttle Bonnie, for skipping out on that short meeting. They could've stayed behind in his room for a couple minutes and made use of his bed, and he wouldn't have to be here now.

"What in the-" Alanis stopped, gasping.

Kai's own head angled to the side. Fiona was shimmering out of focus, her body fading away before their eyes. Someone was summoning her.

Fan-fucking-tastic. Yet another mystery. He debated leaving it, since what did he care? Fiona could've ended up in Timbuktu and none of that was his problem, was it?

Except it was. Annoying as she was, he needed to make sure that it wasn't Mickey summoning the damn woman. To his surprise, though, Alanis moved forward and put her hands on her hips. "Who could've taken her?" she wondered.

He was on the verge of telling her to go back inside when she started chanting, her face puckered in concentration as she attempted to follow the thread of magic that pulled Fiona away.

But she'd had a few too many drinks, and it affected her casting. When she took slightly too long, she gave him a sheepish glance. He was about to take over wordlessly, before she stopped him. "No," she said. "I can do this. Need to start pulling my weight, right?"

She gave a coquettish toss of her hair and tried again.

A few seconds later, she finally had it.

They were standing inside the redwood circle, voices drifting to his ear.

"We're intruding," Alanis said behind him. He gave her a dismissive look back, then glanced ahead.

A man and a woman, speaking together on the platform in the distance, too far away for him to decipher the conversation, especially in the dark. While they were hidden from view, a familiar aura told him that the man in question was someone else he needed to get his hands on tonight-Noah Vansel.

Approaching, his heart pulsed erratically, the hand holding his wineglass spasming and tightening. Now he was close enough to place the woman's soft, low voice, drawing out his body's automatic response-pleasure and relief and a strong desire to keep hearing more of her. And-oh Christ, what the fuck-her magic saturated the clearing, calling to him, coaxing his eyes to close and his own powers to start quivering out from his body, yearning for a taste of her lingering essence.

Before the sight that met his eyes obliterated all of that.

Bonnie, on the platform, in front of the podium, standing intimately beside Noah, her small hands wrapped within the other man's, as they stared intensely at each other.

They were- _close_. So goddamn near each other. Enough to kiss, or start fucking. Or, shit. Exchange vows.

 _The fuck is this?_

Something froze and cracked, then shattered inside him, he could feel it, sharp pieces scattering every which way around his chest, poking and prodding him until the pain focused him, goaded him to share it with the right target. He sipped from his glass, keeping his magic tightly suppressed.

He didn't need it, to kill Noah with his bare hands.

"How cozy," he drawled, and when the pair of heads jumped apart, identical faces wide-eyed with alarm and guilt-those broken jagged pieces inside stabbed him mercilessly, turning unbearable.

Jesus, they were _guilty_.

"Spying on us whetted your appetite, Vansel?" he asked, keeping his voice cool.

His other hand clenching, Kai stood before the entrance of the gazebo, watching as Noah started cautiously moving forward, his hands up like he hadn't just been there, touching Bonnie without any goddamn right. And she had let him. He didn't want to even look at her, but his eyes betrayed him anyway. She stared at him, unmoving, and now her guilty face had turned confused. Was she thinking of excuses to give?

He knew how practiced she was at dissembling. What kind of bullshit would she feed him now?

"Well, Bon? Care to enlighten me on exactly-" he paused, striving for casual, as he gestured between her and Noah and threw her a smile, like it didn't matter to him much, this betrayal. "What the fuck?"

His smile remained, even when Noah inched even closer. This guy. Kai shook his head ruefully, while the beast inside him roared for blood to spill. Bonnie didn't even bother answering-maybe, for once, realizing how moot lying would be. Noah was close enough to punch now, but that would be too nice.

His hand slammed the wineglass against the beam next to him, and with quick, casual moves, Noah-somehow-ended up on the business end of broken glass, a thin line of blood seeping from his throat. Kai pushed it closer, his other arm unyielding as it kept Noah in place, head neck and head bent back against the wooden podium.

Alanis was screaming-something about what was he doing?-and why she couldn't figure that out for herself wasn't his concern. She had eyes, but apparently lacked the brain to make connections. And she wouldn't shut up. Irritating, that.

Bonnie was blinking at him, still rooted to her spot.

"You tell me, Bonnie. Do I need to kill him for any reason? Be honest now."

Finally, she shifted, spurring his delight, and he gave her a happy look, while blood trailed down his arms, and Noah shifted, making Kai tense and shove the glass further into the broken skin of his throat.

"Rule number three," he said, realizing their list was too short, and maybe Bonnie could earn a freebie because of it. "Partners don't lie to each other."

But first, he'd make her squirm.

"Nothing...happened," Noah croaked, and then he moved quickly, breaking Kai's hold and shoving him off.

Kai chuckled, staring at the broken glass in his hand, half-turning back, before he let it go, pitching it across. It shattered against the tree beside Noah's head, glass spraying behind him. Noah didn't twitch, just stared back evenly at Kai, before he cut a quick glance to Bonnie.

Kai's fingers twitched again. "Don't fucking look at her," he said lightly, striding forward again.

Magic simmered around them, and he raised his brows at Noah warningly. "Ah-ah, none of that. I'm trying to stay civilized here. You don't want me bringing magic to this fight."

"That's not me," Noah said, and Kai gave a lazy glance up, saw that Bonnie had one fine brow arched up questioningly, coils of her power waving menacingly at him.

"What...is going on?" asked Alanis, confused. Her own aura was up, but not poised to defend Noah, like Bonnie's was. "Why are you attacking him, Kai? And who _are_ you?"

That last bit was directed to Bonnie, and he looked at her-a mistake just then, because she suddenly blinked, teeth chewing on her bottom lip, drawing a ragged breath from him, as his eyes fell on her mouth. It was enough to turn his gaze half-lidded and put his homicidal urges on hold.

"Why is _she_ there?" came Alanis's surprised voice. They all looked, and found Fiona sleeping on the grass, her face peaceful. A soft snore reached their ears.

Causing Bonnie's mouth to partially curve up, ever so slightly. Her hand went to cover it, as her shoulders shook, a choked sound escaping her.

She was trying not to laugh.

Kai's anger dissipated, quick and easy, his own mouth tilting up. "You have anything to do with that?" he asked, stepping nearer her then.

Her eyes were bright, teeming with some guilt but more amusement.

Jesus. He couldn't do it. There was no way to shut out this woman. Quickly, he tried to bring images of Maggie's visions, his reasons to keep distance just for tonight. But so much damage had been done already, by this goddamn betrothal, and judging by the lingering residue of a powerful spell in the air, members of his coven had just gone behind his back, pulling her into more potential danger and-

-Fiona was still snoring. His eyes locked with Bonnie's, hers widening, filled with mirth now and just a touch of hysteria.

He knew the feeling.

Kai started laughing, not bothering to suppress his like she was.

Bonnie's head turned away, but then she doubled over a moment later, cracking up.

He bent his head to hers, his mirth spilling out, hand reaching up to her shaking shoulders. She swiped it away, but his other hand tugged her close, and she didn't fight that as she giggled, leaning her face into his chest to muffle the sound.

They spent a few seconds just sharing a laugh, tension leaking out of his shoulders as he held her, feeling absurdly weightless and a sense of well-being.

"Oh, God, Bon." His fingers threaded through her silky hair, and he inhaled her scent deeply.

"It's a cute snore, though," she said, wiping her eyes as she looked towards the sleeping blonde.

"Think so?"

"About the only thing about her that is cute," came a slightly bemused voice.

Noah. Kai had forgotten about him, for a few moments there. And Alanis. The pair stood some short feet away, shuffling awkwardly.

Bonnie looked up as well, her face partially hidden by his shoulder. He heard her sigh, then felt her start to move away, his hands still on her shoulders trying to keep her in place, but she shrugged away. She drew back, her eyes shuttering, the loss of her a punch to his gut.

She approached Noah and Alanis both, her hand pointing to the other man. "He's on our side," she said. "Jerk move there, Kai. Now's a good time to say sorry."

"How 'bout you settle for me not ripping your spine out?" he said pleasantly to Noah. "You brought her into coven business without my approval." When Noah paled, Kai gave a disgusted snort. Now that he wasn't consumed by a need to dismember the guy, he picked up on faint remnants of his and Tariq's magic in the clearing as well. "Whatever that spell was, packed a wallop. How are you so sure we can trust him, Bonnie? You don't know the Vansels. Or maybe you think you know my coven better than me?"

She stood beside Noah and crossed her arms. He knew he had her there, but from what he could pick up on her aura-the irregular surges of it-he could guess something had gotten to her, enough to have her turning to Noah and Tariq. But what did they offer up that would have convinced her?

"I just want answers," he said evenly.

"Me, too," she said, then moved to Alanis, her assessing glance taking in the tall woman, before straying to his face. He quirked his own brow, half scoffing. Even though now he was certain his jealousy was overblown, warring inside him still were two equally strong urges-one to rip Noah apart, the other to put his hands on Bonnie, but in a different way, to brand her until Noah and every other fucking person on this goddamn lodge knew that she was his, alone.

Including Bonnie herself because the woman just _didn't_ learn.

"Congratulations, by the way," came her low voice, sounding gravelly just then. "And also, sorry."

"Sorry?" Alanis repeated, just as Bonnie's hands reached up, and Kai saw familiar gold tendrils laced with black, wrapping around the taller woman's head.

Alanis's face contorted, fingers grabbing her temples, magic bursting from her form that Bonnie gently brushed aside with her own.

Shocked, Noah shifted forward to intercept but Kai cut him off with a threatening look., recognizing Bonnie's move not as her lashing out but because, like him, she was fed up.

Bonnie stepped back quickly, her power receding, and she helped Alanis herself, when the woman stumbled.

"I work with your fiancée sometimes," she said, and his stomach turned at how dismissive that came out. "Just needed to make sure that you're on the right team."

With a small nudge, she moved Alanis towards Kai, who automatically caught the other woman as she wobbled in her steps.

Bonnie grabbed Noah's arms, nodding briefly to Kai. "She's clear," she said, managing a smile that didn't waver at all.

His hands fell away from Alanis. "All of kinds of wrong here, Bonnie," he said softly.

Without meeting his eyes, she and Noah disappeared, Fiona in tow.

His chest squeezed, magic and something else tightly coiled there needing release, but he just clenched his fists, currents sparking out. Fucking betrothal. But worse, no matter his plans, there didn't seem to be any way to keep Bonnie from sinking deeper into his coven problems.

Alanis looked up, her concern nothing he wanted to deal with just then.

"Engagement's off," he said, then squinted in thought, laughing a little. "Actually it was never on."

He ported them both back to the reception, and walked away without a backwards glance.

Soft strobe lights overhead cast the room in an atmospheric glow, making the hall appear larger than it already was. Kai saw Rachel with his other siblings in one corner, their faces nervous. He made his way to them.

"Where were you?" hissed Rachel. "We waited."

"Change of plans," he muttered. "Just sit tight."

Then left, because his father was sitting alone at the dais, smiling contentedly out at the crowd, and Kai wanted to wipe it off his face.

"Hey pops," Kai said, sitting beside him, matching his air of satisfaction.

"Malachai. You'll be happy to know, Althea just gave her consent to the betrothal."

"Super thrilled. But she can have it back. I just cancelled it."

Joshua's nostrils flared at that.

"Easily remedied," the older man said.

"Doubt it, " Kai murmured, his eyes scanning the room. When he found Bonnie, he fought for purchase, forcing a laugh out from his lungs. She was really, really fucking with his head in the worst way.

First holding hands with Noah back in that redwood circle. And now, dancing with Matt?

He moved without even knowing what the fuck he was doing anymore. His limbs hurt, and his hands shook, and in his stomach was that same sick feeling, but more pronounced.

Bonnie couldn't be making him that ill, could she? Then his brain kicked in. Tremors, nausea, and lack of mental clarity-symptoms of poisoning.

The quicksilver smuggled into Bonnie's blood, to use as a homing beacon when the blood was being actively used in a spell.

 _Awesome_ timing.

With dogged steps, he rerouted, and let the spell guide him where he needed to be. As he left the room, he didn't look back, worried that would invite Bonnie's attention. Ideally, he would have loved bringing her along, wreaking havoc together on the fuckers who had stolen her blood.

Maybe next time.

For now, he would make do with other back-up, ensuring he'd get his answers while he was at it.

Clearing the walkway, he leaned against the walls, chanting quickly, wiping sweat off his brow, absently realizing that his cuffs were still bloody. His healing spell kicked in, and Kai kept it active, letting its effects counter the ongoing symptoms of poisoning. He put a cloaking spell up as he followed the threads of the homing beacon. Drawing his fingers out, he paused again and let his magic fill the air before him.

Moments later, Luke, Tariq, and Noah appeared before his eyes.

Jaws clenched, he studied their surprised faces, two of which rapidly degraded into dismay, when they realized who had summoned them.

"Boo," he said, smiling sharply.

Luke's expression switched into battle mode. "What's happening?" he asked tersely.

"The usual, little bro. People to kill. But first-"

With a casual flick of his finger, Tariq and Noah lifted up and slammed against the walls, both men wincing away from lightning currents swerving dangerously close to their faces.

"Malachai-"

"One minute," he cut in genially, like they were just sitting around, sharing beers. "That's all the time you have, to tell me what the hell you pulled Bonnie into. Abridged version."

Tariq grunted, his cane shooting out, breaking the hold, as he and Noah dropped to the floor. As the older man got to his feet, breaking into a short explanation, Kai listened with growing disbelief. Less than a minute, turned out, was all that was needed. With Tariq a master of succinctness, he'd given them too much time.

"You've overstepped, both of you," Kai said, his gut spasming momentarily with the effects of the homing beacon spell.

Only Noah seemed discomfited, but he said nothing, just stood and didn't meet Kai's eyes. Tariq shifted his cane, pointing it in the direction of the hall.

"Joshua, running wild," Tariq said, finally. "No more. Can't allow it."

"He's my problem-"

"Malachai, no," but here the old man's voice was less gruff. Kai didn't need to strain his hearing, to find the notes of shame in the older man's tone. "He was ours. Theo and I. We should've done it. Years ago."

So that was it. Tariq was trying to...make amends? Was this another of his grandfather's posthumous attempts to influence his path, and he'd coerced the elder into cooperation? Kai could appreciate it, but not just then. How misguided of Tariq to try to implement it now, instead of, oh, Wednesday?

"Bonnie shouldn't be involved," Kai said.

"Bennett magic was needed to activate it," Noah said.

"I don't give a fuck," he said matter-of-factly, turning away from them to continue following the threads pulling him towards the caster.

Bennett blood, Bennett magic. Jesus. He was sorely tempted to hide her away in his pocket world.

"Now you got what you wanted from her, and there's a device floating around that's-what-my Kryptonite? How do you know it won't target her, either? Where is it?"

Turning, he eyeballed Tariq, who merely continued following, face stoic, his cane held out. "Wasting time," grumbled the old man. "People to kill. You said. Where?"

 _Right here_ , Kai almost said, suppressing a longing to start with the two men who had just shitted all over his plans to disentangle Bonnie from witch politics.

Being heir and responsible for his coven's well-being clashed violently just then with his own natural inclination, a conflict that he was adept at juggling, normally. The irony was that these people had undermined his interest that was supposed to work in their favor. They had all lain dead, after all, in that future he was trying to actively avoid, by keeping Bonnie detached.

These thoughts occupied him as he led the other three, taut lines of the spell that was working to make him ill, drawing him to the top floor of the eastern wing, towards the executive suites. His mind raced, thinking of which of the coven elders had booked such rooms, wishing he'd paid better attention when Rachel and Sue had rattled off the VIP guest room list several days ago, urging him to consider taking one for himself, to maintain the status of importance that being heir required. If he'd done so, maybe he could've settled this mess far sooner.

As waves of nausea pummeled him, countering his own healing spell, his hands trembled fiercely now. The spell was nearing completion. Kai reinforced the cloaking spell, now expanded to include his companions.

"Wait a minute," Noah said behind him, but Kai ignored the man, still harboring resentment over the role he'd played.

The image of him touching Bonnie, too fucking familiar, still chafed the edges of his vision, rubbing his brain raw.

 _...Bonnie's worried face at the round table with his coven, and Noah beside her, rubbing her hand comfortingly..._

There was that, too.

The double doors to the executive suite faced them innocuously, but behind it throbbed starkly rotten magic, partially contained by what Kai recognized as a muting spell, similar to the veil that Bonnie used to conceal herself and her friends' auras. Except whoever had casted this one, had either done so in a rush or lacked the raw power to completely hide the potency of black magic at work.

Or maybe both. Time was running out, after all. For both sides.

Luke took position opposite and behind Kai, as Tariq took point, holding his cane in lateral position.

Behind them, Noah paled, and Kai finally narrowed his gaze at the other man.

"Problem?" he drawled.

Noah's eyes were wide. "That's my-"

The doors exploded out with the force of a concussive blast of magic. Noah flew backwards, clear across the hall, his body landing with a thud against the wall. Tariq spun his cane, precise and impossibly fast, magic ripping up from the ground with the force of an earthquake, and the room's occupants toppled over, only to quickly right themselves moments later, facing Kai and Luke as they swarmed the room.

Three figures, hands up and joined together, wore oversized masks with distorted features and painted in blood. Five bodies lay in a ring around them, scalps peeled back and touching the flayed, raw soles of the bottom of each pair of feet, connecting one to another in grotesque formation. A continuance link, to keep the essence of their spirits from leaving their corpses. They all wore telltale uniforms.

Five dead caterers.

In a fit of wrath, Kai threw his magic out like a grenade, an explosion that rocked the ground beneath their feet, but didn't stop the three witches from continuing their casting. The effects of their dark incantation crept over him, a crawling burn across his nerve endings prelude to blisters rising over his body, as forms wriggled beneath his skin, like tiny worms threatening to erupt from the surface. Beside him, Luke gritted his teeth and began clawing at himself.

Kai's fingers splayed out, bolts of power shooting forward, angry currents stabbing through one of the masked witches, impaling him in place against a wall. Fisting his hand, the witch's ribcage broke open but his heart failed to appear, a protection spell in place countering Kai's magic.

The worms disappeared, the burn slowly easing.

Breaking free himself, Luke's hands rose up, a tunnel of power whipping another witch up and around the room in a frenzied pattern, knocking his form against the walls, ceiling and floor like a rag doll, breaking furniture and causing blood to spray. The witch sent spirals of magic to counter, but it bounced harmlessly off Luke, a thin layer of a shield suddenly springing up, courtesy of Tariq as he stepped inside the room, whirls of power spinning out from his rapidly moving cane, encasing their share of the room in a defensive field.

The third witch slashed his fingers sideways and the room abruptly spun. Kai fought dizziness, a sense of being turned inside out, and he almost retched from the disorientation. Green coils suddenly whipped past his head, a snake in light form striking its prey. Noah's magic. Their opponent buckled to his knees, Noah's power coursing stronger around the room. The other witch raised a fist, countering with a severe gesture, causing Noah to stumble backwards, blood suddenly trickling out from his eyes, nose, and mouth. Next to him, Tariq began to bleed out similarly.

Fuck. Hemorrhaging spell. They would die in seconds.

Luke was still occupied with the other witch, locked in a battle of which one could break more bones and pieces of the room, and his brother seemed to be winning as the other witch landed on his back with a sickening crunch.

Kai stabbed at the first witch, still held in place with his magic against the wall. The form sagged to the floor, unconscious. Chopping the air with his fingers, the windows shattered, and he sent a miniature storm of jagged glass laced with lightning currents, to circle around the third witch intent on killing two of his coven.

Kai smiled.

"One chance," he called out. "Let them go, or die."

The blood pouring out of Noah and Tariq doubled in volume.

He shrugged, then pressed his hands together, and the storm coalesced, converging on the masked figure standing defiantly, screaming as broken glass tore through his body in a hundred places, bolts of silver cracking as it battered his form.

Whispering quickly, Kai poured a healing spell over Tariq, Luke's opponent having ported out of the room, giving him the chance to help Noah.

Kai strolled over to the crouched figure in the center of the room, writhing in agony.

He pulled off the mask, and breathed deeply in, closing his eyes in relief.

Seeping red welts and tears across his face, deep bruises and swelling distorting his features, Kai recognized the man from the tendrils of black pouring out of his eyes in broken lines.

Mickey Wallingsford.

"F-Fok 'oo," the other man choked out.

Luke and Tariq stepped forward. "What're we gonna do with them?" asked his brother in tones of disgust.

Kai looked briefly at the five dead caterers, and the fresh trail of blood on Tariq's lined face and clothes, and juxtaposed over that was the image of Bonnie's form wrapped in unyielding fibers of Expression, coating the world in a death shroud.

Then his eyes squinted at Mickey, and this time it wasn't the ribcage that broke open. No point to that, since the man had probably set up defensive wards around all of their hearts.

Cranial bones cracked, as Kai tore out his brain, sending squishy gray matter to splat carelessly against the ceiling.

He could feel Luke and Tariq's eyes on his back as he strode away from them, but they remained quiet, voicing no objections to how he'd just flagrantly bypassed policy. Witches were held accountable for their crimes, tried before a panel of coven arkhai.

Mickey didn't deserve the courtesy.

Across the room, Noah's voice rang out then, the shame and loathing filling his next words not enough to hide traces of defeat. "What about this one, Kai?" he asked, pointing to the other witch lying slumped on the floor, whose mask Noah held in his hand. "Will you rip out my mother's brains, too?"

Kai shook his head, his magic coating the woman on the floor, who disappeared. "She can spend the night in containment."

Then he fixed the other man with a sharp look. "She'll get her trial, Noah. For your sake, I hope she's got a good story. And your father, too. I'm assuming he was number three in the mask." He nodded to Tariq and Luke.. "Find him."

A sudden thought crossed his mind, and he stopped Tariq before he disappeared.

"The device," Kai said, his tone brooking no argument, as he indicated with a small wave of his fingers to turn it over.

Tariq's expression turned ever slightly placid, his wrinkles straightening momentarily.

Kai felt it then, a brief shimmer in the air, of something winking out.

"Don't have it," came the gruff voice. "Somewhere safe."

Then the old man vanished, and Kai restrained the urge to summon the old man back and beat him with his damn cane.

* * *

Going on autopilot for Matt meant letting his attention roam around any space he occupied, whether big or small, in solitude or packed in a crowd. It was a drag on his social life, because most women wanted their date's eyes on them, one hundred percent of the time. On the rare occasions that he let himself unwind with a nice girl who had nothing to do at all with his life in Mystic Falls, there were only a handful of women that didn't get offended with this habit that he'd honed. Unfortunate, since his pool of potential partners was limited.

Now that he'd stopped dating any of the locals, for years now.

Dancing with these women now, he couldn't let his eyes wander too much. In general they had an uncanny way of picking up on things, but witches took it a step further, and he could sense the power held at bay, ready to burst out at any moment from the slightest provocation. He didn't usually have to try too hard to please any company, especially of the female variety, and he rarely even had to dip into flirtation to make a good impression. Sincerity went a long way to putting people at ease, and he was glad over the years, as many things had slipped from his fingers, or were ripped out of his grasp, his sense of being held at face value, of meaning what he said-of being honest, sometimes brutally so-was the one thing that stuck.

But Gemini witches were something else. The women invariably tracked his movements steadily, giving him the creeps. It made him wonder if they were trying to get inside his thoughts and figure out just what he was expecting to jump out at him from the corners of the room that lay shadowed.

"Are you this restless all the time?" said the brunette in his arms. "Do you just not like the song?"

And there it was. He smiled, hoping it didn't come across uneasy.

"Or are you worried because your girlfriend is missing, and so is my fiancée?"

"I thought I told you," he said with a frown. "We're all working together with Kai. Especially Bonnie."

"Ex-fiancée, in fact," she amended, ignoring his comment. "What I don't get is why you people are so anxious when you're the ones here hiding secrets."

The woman-Alanis, and he remembered her name mostly because his sister Vicky years ago had been a fan of the grungy singer and he'd never encountered anyone else with the same name until now-was looking up at him with less hostility and more skepticism. Shortly after his own dance with Bonnie ended, the woman had surprised him with a direct request to partner up, launching immediately into questions about Bonnie and Kai as soon as the song had started.

He decided to rely on his trusted deputy sheriff voice of authority to get through the rest of the conversation. Earlier during their dance, Bonnie had relayed the incident in the redwood circle, her spell with Tariq and Noah, and Kai's mini descent into jealous rage. That she'd sounded so surprised by the guy's reaction had caused his eyes to roll. Bonnie. Probably one of the smartest people he'd ever known, and yet so clueless when it came to the most basic things.

She'd also filled him in on Alanis, and while he wasn't a fan of the mind reading spell she'd used to clear the woman-at least it was one less thing to worry over. Although he couldn't help following that line of inquiry in his own mind, just how Joshua benefited from such a heavy-handed tactic as attaching Kai to an unsuspecting woman when it was clear the guy's thoughts ran elsewhere.

Matt found his gaze resting on Alanis now, pinning her with laserlike focus. "All I can tell you," he said seriously. "Is that none of us are out to hurt anyone."

"Could've fooled me," she said, eyes slightly squinted and he understood, could empathize. Bonnie's spells packed a punch, though he was sure she'd tried not to. Even if she cared about Kai herself, and this woman was now his fiancée-or ex. Or whatever. Bonnie was a damn girl scout through and through.

"Why are you saying ex?"

"Probably not even ex," she admitted. "I think the betrothal was a bust from the start."

"And you're okay with it?"

"He's the coven heir. There are a handful of us girls raised to fulfill certain roles, and when Joshua pushed for me to enter the betrothal, it made a lot of sense. But Kai's too unstable." She shrugged. "And really into your girlfriend."

Matt frowned down at her. So her pride was hurt more than anything, and more importantly, she didn't seem to dwell too deeply on the whys of certain things. Like, what the hell was in it for Joshua, to push so hard for this?

What did Alanis really bring to the table? Pleasant enough, but anyone looking at her and Kai could see that one was very much not like the other. She was nice and docile. While the old adage of opposites attract sometimes held up, Alanis didn't fit the bill in this situation. For some reason, Bonnie floated to mind. Nice, but fierce. Far more suited to handle borderline decent jerks. Not that he was giving his blessing to anything happening between his friend and Liv's brother. Not that they even needed it, because obviously something was up with the two. But he could see, from Kai's perspective, the draw. Bonnie was a challenge, and that would never change.

So what was it with Alanis? Kai had cried off, but her having been brought into the picture in the first place...it didn't sit well with him. His eyes moved to where Joshua stood talking with his children, the man's gaze resting on Alanis occasionally. Almost-Matt realized-similar to how he'd once caught Kai when he stared at Bonnie, with that light of possessiveness in his eyes. Difference being, Bonnie was aware of it and sometimes returned the same type of look.

Alanis was oblivious.

The beginnings of a headache forming, as well as a sense of his skin crawling, Matt felt the answer was just out of his reach, and he tried to follow the tangent, but got distracted by the sight of Bonnie entering the room, the tightness in her shoulders obvious even in the dim light.

Her face pinched with concern, she strode up to them, disrupting their dance, then seemed to realize who his partner was, awkwardness flashing on her face. "Sorry to interrupt," she said lamely.

Alanis stepped back. "Song's over anyway," she said, her tone just on the icy side of polite.

Bonnie eyed them intently. "Have either of you seen Kai?"

Alanis laughed, and Matt was surprised how perfect it sounded. She hadn't been kidding, she really did know her part well. "You weren't just with him?"

Bonnie frowned as she shook her head. "Noah's missing, too."

Here both women became more subdued. "There's no way he would've gone after him again," Alanis said, trying to sound sure but instead just convincing Matt that this was probably what was happening. "But who can really say? Kai's losing it."

Bonnie eyed her doubtfully. "Alanis..." she hesitated. "He's not. There's just a lot going on. Later when you guys clear the air-"

"No need for that." Alanis let her chin tilt up ever so slightly. "Engagement's off."

"What?" In confusion, Matt registered the anger on Bonnie's face at the words as she faced the woman fully. "No, that can't be right. Why-"

Alanis cut her off with another laugh. "Don't bother with the act of outrage. It's a little overdone." Then she nodded to Matt pointedly. "Good luck."

Then she whirled and left, gracefully, without any hint of appearing to be put off in any way, shape, or form. Matt puffed out his cheeks, raising his brows at Bonnie.

"He didn't go after Noah," Bonnie insisted. "Luke's gone too, and Tariq. They-" she stopped, the hurt crossing her features overshadowed by an almost wild concern leaping from her eyes. "I think they're all tracking Mickey."

He was on the verge of pulling her out of the room again, when Tyler appeared at their side.

"Get to the table," Tyler said to him, as he took over the dance with Bonnie. "Liv's there with Caroline. She'll fill you in."

Right. Something else, because this was just the kind of night they were having.

* * *

"It's rotten."

Was that another way of saying things were heading south? Bonnie almost opened her mouth to ask, but then her brain caught up. Literally, that's what Tyler meant. His wolf senses were picking up on something.

"I smelled it earlier, but it disappeared so I couldn't track it."

"Now?"

"Still can't track it," he said, aggravated sigh escaping him. His gaze swept the room, brown eyes filled with misgiving. "Caroline and I tried just now. It's carrying from somewhere, but at a point, the scent tapers out."

"Someone's covering it up," she whispered.

"This just gets better, doesn't it?" Tyler muttered.

For a moment, they said nothing, as the strobe lights overhead offered a bright contrast to their shared dejected faces. Who knew a wedding could feel like a funeral?

She spied Liv, Caroline, and Matt at the table, Matt's face shifting into focus mode. Her curiosity about the conversation he'd had with Alanis settled to the bottom of her priority list. At the top of it, was finding Kai.

The lying asshat.

"Okay," she said, to keep her thoughts from spiraling downward. "Maybe we should split up, you with Liv, me with Caroline and Matt. We find these things, and-"

"Shouldn't we wait for Kai and Luke? Tariq and Noah could even help." Tyler shook his head. "Since anyway, seems like more of a coven issue, than outing me. And if any of this has _you_ involved, we need to be out. Bonnie, I swear. I'm not letting you get pulled in more. Liv and I will run people over. No lie."

Another commiserating glance between them, and Bonnie was left just shaking her head and chuckling softly. "You and Liv really should've done Vegas."

His frown wasn't the reply she was looking for, as he followed it up with, "Liv had an idea."

Bonnie was almost afraid to hear it out.

"There's a spell she's been working on."

"What kind of spell?"

"It lets me tap into my wolf form, while she sort of-navigates."

Bonnie blinked. "That is-" she tilted her head. "Risky, but potentially wonderful. If she's navigating, can she access her magic through you?"

He shook his head. "The other downside is she puts her body out of commission. We have to hide her somewhere."

"Don't do it now," Bonnie warned. "Let's wait until everyone gets back, then we can coordinate a search-"

The air before them waved abruptly. She and Tyler flinched away from each other, before a small metallic object suddenly appeared between them. She gasped, and Tyler's quick hand reached out, snatching it before it fell to the floor. Deftly, he hid it inside his jacket pocket.

"The hell is this?" he asked.

"Tesseract," she said, and quickly explained the spell, and what it was made for, and the risk it posed to Kai.

"Shit," he said. "But why did it show up just now?"

"Tariq had it last." He must have meant to pass it on to her. If he was with Kai, who learned about it, and wanted to get his hands on it, was one explanation. The one she hoped for, because the alternative was that someone else-Joshua or Mickey-had found out, and Tariq was in danger.

"Hold on to it. Keep it safe."

No sooner had she said that than Kai entered the room through the arched passage, Noah just behind him.

Bonnie found her eyes locked onto Kai's as he stalked forward, homicidal air and all.

At least Noah was alive and well. The downside being that it looked like she might be the one at risk here.

"Don't let Kai get near it," she hissed at Tyler, shoving him gently away.

Kai reached them, his eyes blazing down at her.

"Mind if I cut in?" was the casual request, and without once looking at the other man, his firm hands grabbed her waist and pulled her in close, much more than the song the band was playing required. It wasn't even a slow piece.

Power pulsed faintly over them, his essence a balm to her worry. She used it to center herself, unable to pull her own powers out. At least one of them was useful here, as she recognized the spell he'd used, similar to when Maggie had soundproofed the room yesterday, so nobody could eavesdrop on them.

That she was pissed didn't override the sense of relief rushing over her, having him there and close, whole and generally okay outside of his obvious desire to maybe commit murder. Hers, seemed like.

"Where's the stupid device, Bonnie?"

Oh, thank God. Her first suspicion was the right one. Joshua and Mickey weren't responsible for the device appearing out of nowhere. "Where's Tariq?"

His dark laugh filled her ear, as he tugged her harshly nearer. "In itty bitty pieces in my suitcase."

She almost believed him. Meeting his angry stare, she exhaled to calm herself. This was not the time to pick a fight. Even though she had every right. _Partners, my ass._

He'd gone back on his word the moment she turned her back to him.

The band segued into a familiar, slower beat, a jazzy spin on a popular song, as the lead singer broke into the opening notes.

 _"What would I do without your smart mouth..."_

They swayed along the edge of the dance floor, his hands tightening and drifting lower, fingers on splayed on her hips. Couples around them drifted contently in each other's arms.

Her partner? Just kept glaring down at her, until her temper surged despite her best effort.

"Happy hunting?" she asked bitingly.

"Happy killing," he said, his smile cold. "Mickey's dead."

She stifled a gasp, shocked to her bones. Just like that? That was new for her. An enemy vanquished that easily? She eyed him, at first skeptical, until she took in his actual state of disarray. Faint bloodstains coated along the edge of his tuxedo jacket and white shirt. He was sweaty, and a slight stench of death drifted to her nose. His eyes darkened as she continued to stare up, her throat becoming tight and warmth in her belly starting to sink, pooling lower.

What the hell was wrong with her?

 _"What's going in that beautiful mind, I'm on your magical mystery ride..."_

"No pat on the back?" he taunted. "I'd settle for a kiss."

She smiled sweetly in reply. "Not my job to give you favors. Your coven princess is somewhere around. Ask her."

Wrong tactic, she realized. His nostrils flared out, and now for sure he was going to zap her with magical bolts of lightning. She bit her mouth. "Sorry." But now he was looking pained, his eyes trained on her mouth.

"Why didn't you show up for our team huddle, Bonnie?" His head shook, as he looked around the room, and she saw his gaze zero in on his father. "You thought the betrothal was real, didn't you?"

She wasn't- _ever_ -going to bring up her ideas of him turning her into a glorified mistress, while he was married to Alanis. "How did Mickey die?"

"Couldn't rip out his heart, so I tore out his brain." He shrugged. "What'd you think, I was gonna play house with another woman and keep you around as a convenient bootie call?"

Aaaand, apparently, she wouldn't need to, because he read the thought in her face. Her cheeks warmed, as she studiously eyed the lapels of his jacket.

She had the presence of mind to attempt a scoff. "I'd melt your balls off if you tried that with me."

"Gotta admit, though. That would've been hot." His voice dropped low. "Illicit affair between a Gemini scion and a Bennett rebel? Stuff for the ages, huh?"

"What else happened?" she pressed, ignoring his attempt to deflect. He'd just brutally ended Mickey's life. Did he really think his stupid engagement took precedence right now? His eyes were telling, the wild gleam of violence there restrained, and earlier she'd caught Noah's face in the crowd-far too pale. She hoped Fiona was still sleeping, hidden away in her room-her idea, since she had placed wards there as a safeguard. The last thing they needed was the woman up and causing more trouble.

"Are Luke and Tariq okay? What's wrong with Noah?"

"They're fine. Quit worrying about my coven, Bonnie, it's not your problem." Then he pulled her roughly closer, and now it was bordering on indecent how tightly they were wrapped together. Her temple pressed against his clenched jaws. "Do me a solid? Don't talk about Noah."

It would be so easy to do that. She could shut up and just lean into him, and pretend she was a girl dancing with a guy and afterwards they could head to one of the rooms, losing themselves in each other without worrying about potential disasters and body counts.

 _"You're crazy, and I'm out of my mind..."_

"Tyler and Caroline, they're picking up on decay." Her cheeks grazed the parts of his chest not covered in faint bloodstains. "Missed a couple spots," she added distractedly.

"Didn't bother cleaning, since the night's not over." Then he leaned in playfully. "Just been telling people it's a wine stain. To match what you have there."

Brushing his thumb over the small bloodstain on her own dress, near her breast, his gaze scorched her face, and irritation welled up inside her, mostly at herself, for the obscene thoughts running through her mind just then involving dragging him upstairs to his room. Her libido ever so helpfully was kicking in just then, to take him up on his offer from this morning.

"Decay..." His voice rumbled pleasantly through her. "Is that what I'm thinking it means?"

She let her hands up to rest gingerly around his neck.

"More of those creatures," she said.

"Mickey's not the only one who dipped into black magic in my coven," he said, pulling back to tip her chin up. "You and your friends-"

"I'm not leaving, Kai," she cut in heatedly. "You can shove that thought up your-"

"Can we have this argument tomorrow?" he interrupted lightly. "We'll pencil it in after morning sex and breakfast, how's that? Right now, just pretend you're a normal woman, dancing with the man of your dreams, will you?"

"I haven't been normal since I was fifteen," she retorted. "And you're more like the stuff of nightmares."

He laughed, but she kept her scowl up. So smug, this guy. Controlling, conniving, and-too near. She looked away from his mouth.

"Dying to kiss me, Bon? Go ahead."

"I'd rather throttle you for reneging. I might be smaller than you, but I'm not defenseless. I can help. I know you were a man out of time for a while, but women kicking ass? That's a thing now."

"How can I forget, when you were so handy kicking my own?" he said. "Pretty sure my ass cheeks still have an imprint of your shoes on them, actually."

She clenched her teeth against the image forming from his words. Right now was the wrong time to be imagining his nude derriere.

"But Maggie-she showed me new things, Bonnie. Scared the bejeezus outta me."

New things? They were still laboring under sorting through the old ones. Damn Maggie. Instantly sobering, she withheld a sigh, asking, "Care to share with the class?"

"Expression takes you over. Not an alternate world. This one. Potentially."

She froze in his arms.

The band segued into another melody, also slow, and they stayed on the dance floor.

He folded her closer, but she pushed him away. "What exactly did you see?"

He didn't answer, just stared at her intensely. Was this retribution? Not necessarily his doing, she knew. In dismay, she realized now the shoe was on the other foot here, and she wasn't wearing it well. Damn Maggie, for sure, and her inability to ever host more than an audience of one.

"I-I wouldn't lose control," she said. "I haven't. It's been years, Kai."

She faltered there, remembering the times she _had_ lost control. Shane had manipulated her, but she broke his hold without much fanfare. The only times she had stumbled, were with no-humanity Elena. The nearest time she had gone on a rampage, was with Silas when she got payback, for her father's murder.

 _Oh. That's it._

"Who dies?" she asked firmly.

He kept silent, his hands rubbing circles into her back, as the music drew out lingering notes.

Was it Tyler? Or Caroline? Matt?

Kai pulled her tighter, hugging her again.

Oh, God. It was _him_.

Her magic threatened to rush out all at once, to get a hold on the man standing in front of her, and portal him somewhere thousands of miles away. Stupid, that, since he was capable of handling himself, and obviously far more needed here with this family and his coven. The device was the danger, and his father.

She rested her head against his shoulder. "Your father knows who I am," she said, in a low tone, enough to reach him over the soft strains of the ballad they were dancing to. "He warned me away from you. It's why I went all in with Tariq and Noah."

Kai didn't say anything right away, but his body had gone taut, and she felt an erratic spike of his powers around their form. "Is there anyone who doesn't know about you?" he asked resentfully. "You're practically an honorary member of the Geminis, Bonnie."

She shrugged. "I tried, you know that. Swimming against the tide here."

His eyes turned speculative then, a look passing there that she was pretty sure she didn't like.

"Clearly Joshua's trying to make something happen before the night is out," she said, to distract him from whatever he was plotting.

"Wish he would try already," he murmured, turning his head away, letting his mouth tickle her ear. "So tired of this damn wedding."

She started laughing, and then couldn't stop, although she tried, hiding her face against his shoulder. After a few seconds, the shaking got worse, and then a tiny snort came out. Mortified, she didn't dare look up, but heard his own rumbling laugh join in.

"You didn't hear that," she said.

"Sure, I didn't hear you snort like Homer Simpson. Not at all."

"This wedding sucks so much ass. Don't tell Liv."

"Oh, I will. Repeatedly, in detail. You kidding?"

She happened to glance up then, as he tilted his face nearer, and it brought their lips in line, at just the right angle. If she moved just a millimeter, or he did. Her breath slowed, his eyes darkened.

"Bad timing," his tone was low, husky, inviting her to lean into him.

"Very." She locked eyes with him.

"Bonnie," he said, fingers caressing low on her back. "Have I mentioned I'm mega powerful?"

"Only about ten times in two days," she said, concentrating because his touch was doing odd things to certain lower parts of her.

"I've been too modest, then. I know a lot of spells, big and small." His smile turned sinful, as his gaze flickered over her mouth. "The subtle ones-they can be just as nifty."

She stopped breathing as she stared at him.

"For example," he moved one hand up along the side of her hip before finding her back again, his fingers dangerously low as they traced small circles against her exposed skin. "Tell me if you feel something."

She did, a little jolt of electricity in tiny doses when his fingers ended each circle pattern. When she said nothing, but threw her head back and kept her stubborn gaze on his, his smile disappeared, and she heard his shaky breath, before she felt the gentle drumming of the tips of his fingers drop even lower. Instead of electrical zaps came small, pulsing vibrations, all the way through the bones of her pelvis.

"How about that?" he asked, his voice sounding strained.

She gasped involuntarily as the next tap brought stronger tremors. And his fingers moved lower still. Her legs grew slightly weak, and deep inside her core came a familiar quiver.

"Not," she said, gritting her teeth, "appropriate."

"Am I being too forward?" he said, his nose grazing her temples. She couldn't see his face, but in the tone of his voice she caught something leashed, a wild animal ready to break the cage.

"Are you usually this invasive with women on the dance floor?" she managed to rasp out, her fists against his shoulders, fingers bunched into the fabric of his jacket. She fought with herself, willing her mind to go blank and not conjure up the spell that could break his fingers. They were still surrounded by other couples, dancing normally, the women around them wearing heart eyes because their partners were being sweet and sentimental instead of trying to get them to climax with magic.

"Just you," he said, his eyes closing, as she let one of her own hands drift between them, to where his hardness brushed her. "Do you typically let strange men get this close and personal?"

"Sure, all the time," she whispered.

His eyes opened, burned hotly into her. "That's not funny, Bonnie."

She was mid-laugh, throaty and almost out of breath delivering it, and her brain was shutting down, which was how he surprised her, spinning them deftly into one of the large, darkened niches off the side of the hall, hidden behind a columned arch.

"What-"

"We're cloaked," he said. "Don't fight it."

He lifted her on the ledge, housing a vase and other fancy prop that he'd swept away, but before they fell to the floor to crash loudly, she waved a finger and they vanished.

They both glanced down where the items should have broken to pieces on the ground, before their eyes met again. Bonnie knew she was just a few seconds away from losing her panties, seeing the look in his eyes.

But it was edged with desperation, the scary kind, that showed his certainty that they would both come out of this wedding alive was in question. What had he seen?

"Tell me how it goes wrong," she whispered, stopping his hands straying back under her dress.

He nodded, but kissed her also, whispering into her lips. "My coven all dead." He swept her hands aside, reaching under the hem of her skirt. "My family, your friends."

She let his knuckles caress the inner skin of one thigh. "You?"

"Didn't see me. But you. You take yourself out." He kissed her neck, his mouth searing a trail along her throat and shoulder, tearing the lace to reach the skin above her breast. "Can't let any of that happen, Bon."

Tendrils of her magic were loosening, wrapping around them, joining with his. But she closed her eyes, keeping them from going wild, and instead laced her fingers behind his neck, leaning her cheeks to rest on the top of his head. He stopped trying to push her bra down, his fingers on her thighs dropping away, also, and she heard his audible swallow, as his face turned into her neck and his arms enfolded her. They stayed that way for long moments that she wished wouldn't end for hours yet.

"The betrothal I didn't ask for in the first place is cancelled," he said presently, his voice was muffled against her skin. "Wanna be my consort?"

Blinking in confusion, all she could do was eke out tiny hitched breaths, her brain sluggishly trying to process his words.

"Too soon?" was the quick follow up, before he abruptly drew back, then grabbed her hands. "S'okay. Baby steps, right?"

Then he was dragging her with him back towards the main hall. Swirls of magic spiraled out of his form, lightly resting on select people in the assembly. Kai signaled to the band on the balcony, miming cutting gestures across his neck, and the music stalled. Then the lights came up, and a crowd began gathering around them, as he pulled her to stand before the entire assembly. The small handful of people that his magic had touched continued dancing in the background.

The human guests, remaining happily ignorant.

Facing the crowd nervously, aware that over a hundred pairs of coven eyes were now sharply assessing her standing next to Kai, Bonnie threw him a glare. Matt and Caroline had picked up on Kai's trick, and continued sitting at their table, faking obliviousness but Bonnie could see their bodies half-turned to them. Liv and Tyler were towards the front of the gathered witches, Liv doing her best to appear calm while Tyler was shooting silent but obvious death threats at Kai.

Nearby, Alanis held a drink stiffly, her face appearing sour, like she was imbibing lemon juice without any sugar. Further up was Joshua, standing up front and center, smiling in neutrality, and that bothered Bonnie the most.

"What is this?" she seethed to the lunatic next to her.

With cool self-possession, Kai only gave her a quick grin. "What I should've done earlier," he said casually, then raised his voice. "Listen up everyone, impromptu announcement part three. Or is it four?" His eyes cut to his father. "I lost track after all of yours, pops."

The crowd smiled then, but Bonnie's face burned because none of their eyes had left her face, even though Kai was the one speaking.

"So," he said, voice carrying and lilting with playfulness. "A few of you are aware, at many times this weekend I've been in the company of this lovely lady beside me." She felt his gaze on her then, offering her reassurance because he probably could read how desperately she wanted away from all this attention.

"No, she's not my current flavor of the week," he quipped, then his face shifted, and she caught him looking at Noah. "But don't take it as invitation to try to make her yours. That's not what she's here for."

"Malachai-" his father stepped forward then, smoothly, but Kai pinned him in place with a glare.

"My father was hesitant to broach the idea," Kai continued, steel finding its way into his tone. "But I thought, since I'm due to take over, I might as well make some moves myself. Nothing like taking initiative, right? And what was it you said before?" he asked Joshua, rubbing his scruff in thought. "New alliances to go with new leadership, does that sound familiar? Although, honestly, this one's nothing new in the history of our coven. Not the name, at least. Just the face."

His hand on her suddenly tugged her forward, gently.

"Her grandmother was one of our most powerful and trusted allies. For decades, she held a special seat in our council, as an advisor." Here the older members of the crowd suddenly began murmuring among themselves, and Bonnie felt the excitement building from there.

"Unclench," he whispered in her ear, his voice a caress. "Just go with it."

Then his smile widened, as he stepped beside her.

"Bonnie Bennett, folks. Here to take her seat in our round table that her grandmother occupied so well."

The room went still, and if she closed her eyes, she would have thought she was completely alone, and she was tempted to do just that, clench her eyeballs and squeeze tight with the wish that Kai hadn't just outed her in front of everyone. Maybe her willpower alone would undo the last few minutes.

Then from somewhere came the long-ago whisper, familiar and sweet in her mind- _stay strong_ -and Bonnie squared her shoulders, squeezed Kai's hand, and lifted her chin to return the assembly's hard appraisal, letting her eyes narrow at the Gemini witches before her.

Somebody somewhere grunted, but in approval or disgust, she wasn't sure.

Did she care?

They could kiss her ass.

* * *

A/N: A/N: Getting there. Whew. Hard chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed. Broken record here, but thank you thank you thank you for the reviews. Really makes my day to know you guys are enjoying this here fic. Feel free to drop a line for constructive comments also, I'm always open to retooling. Also, I'm happy to share the bonkai love, long live our ship! :)

I'm going to focus on finishing this story up, so Bound might not get an update for another few days...maybe a week okbye * ducks head and runs away *


	28. Chapter 28

_CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT_

In junior high, she and Elena had been obsessed with the movie Ever After. Bonnie enjoyed Leonardo the old man's kooky inventions and Danielle's weird friendships with the servants and the gypsies. Even more, she liked that Jacqueline, one of the stepsisters, ended up redeemed and became part of Danielle's real family at the end of the movie. Girl power and sisterhood, right up Bonnie's alley.

Meanwhile, Elena loved the underdog romance-she was all about that, and used to rewind to the same parts over and over. When Danielle and Prince Henry first met by way of the apple she threw at his head; all their spirited debates about class; their first kiss; and then, of course, Danielle's arrival at the ball, where everyone stared in awe at her winged fairy tale costume and Prince Henry went googly-eyed at the sight of her.

"The perfect moment," twelve-year-old Elena used to always sigh, and one that every girl should experience, according to her rules on life.

Facing a congregation of flinty-eyed witches with skeptical auras verging on hostile, Bonnie almost wished Elena could see this now. Her Cinderella moment, but the Bonnie way of course-without any of the awe or a prince, pretty much just with a whole lot of awkward. And the potential for serious magical mayhem.

Granted, there was Kai, who just stood there helpfully smirking out at everyone. If she peered closer, she wouldn't find googly-anything in his eyes, but instead mild traces of madness, probably, with a hint of warning that he wasn't above inflicting violence on anyone who might want to give them any grief just then.

It wasn't a good mix; she was basically stuck between a rock and a hard place, and all that gripped her was a desire, once more, to bang her head on one of the columns.

She ventured a small smile to the witches around her-a miscalculation on her part, that instantly invited a round of dissent.

"Sheila was of more advanced years when she joined."

"Commendation needs to be made before we vote on it."

"I could've sworn the maternal line had died out."

"Why didn't you make yourself known sooner?"

"How old are you, child?"

And it went on and on. She moved closer towards them, not wanting to give the impression that they daunted her in any way, but also just needing to be closer because having a conversation with over ten feet between them didn't seem all that productive. They didn't need to be friends, but she wanted to see that she was sincere.

Kai and his misguided way of helping didn't have to end badly here. His chess moves were all over the place, and judging by Joshua Parker's still blinking face, he'd at least gambled right in the sense of throwing the enemy off his game. But it threw Bonnie, too. So she needed to scramble.

She focused on one question at a time, and then, aiming for calm, stepped up to bat.

* * *

A press of elders surrounding her petite form, Kai tried his best to avoid flattening the growing crowd of witches flinging questions, comments, and thinly concealed doubt at Bonnie. Some of his own brothers and sisters were among them, which didn't help his mood any, especially when Rachel whirled and stalked back to him, eyes gleaming with indignation.

"The ditzy friend?" Luckily, she knew better than to toss it out to the general group, and instead just hissed at him. "Have you lost your mind, Kai Parker?"

He was one hundred percent sure the answer was yes, which was why his hand almost went up to throttle his sister.

Thank God for Jo. She put a hand on Rachel's shoulder, whispering in her ear. Rachel simmered down, as did his twitchy hand.

 _You're almost an honorary Gemini, Bonnie_ , his own words that had triggered the idea that maybe the best defense was a good offense. No matter her effort, and his, Bonnie kept getting sucked into Gemini politics by the minute. If it wasn't helping his sister with her marriage, it was helping an elder with a coup. Hell, he'd made plans himself to keep her involved, to look for a permanent fix for Tyler's furball problem.

The only person actively trying to keep Bonnie out, ironically, was his father.

Which, naturally, had been what tipped Kai the other way, and made him drag her out of the shadows. Not just to be contrary to his father's wishes, but if Joshua thought Bonnie getting closer to the coven was a bad idea-didn't it mean, then, that it might be the best thing ever?

Letting her take over her grandmother's former role was a way to both honor the age-old alliance between her family and his coven, while giving him the ability to keep her close without having to hide it. No more subterfuge. He could keep her in plain sight at his side, and claim it was business.

And when things settled down, get to the serious shit of pursuing her in pleasure. Indefinitely, without any reservations about going behind his coven's back. He'd read the archives, remembered now in sharp high-def detail how often these advisors settled into more permanent roles within the coven, whether as arbiter or marshal or, in a few cases, stepping into lasting intimacies with a coven ruler by becoming consort.

Except he was jumping the gun, there. Consort? He'd asked her, knowing she wasn't ready for that. Neither was he, truthfully, but at the moment he was running on fumes and frustration, and his mental acuity suffered as a result. They hadn't even gone on a date. He didn't even have her goddamn number.

She hadn't answered, possibly because she hadn't really heard his question. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved. On one hand, yes because that was really premature and enough to scare off anyone, and Bonnie was far more skittish than most. Near miss, that. On the other hand-he just wanted to know where her head was at.

His clearly was no longer attached to his neck, like that other Kai that she'd warned him about.

Maybe this was a residue of sociopathy. Being possessive with people like they were objects, at least the people that managed to slip behind the cracks, and make a permanent space for themselves inside his mind and possibly his heart. Since he'd never experienced it with a woman before until Bonnie, here was his first test.

There weren't many Bennetts who showed up as consorts in Gemini history books, he remembered with a sinking feeling. Quite a few died young.

"Your grandmother earned her seat," said Althea Crux, and around her heads nodded. "The old way, blood, sweat, and tears. She walked a difficult path before finding her role in our council as advisor. You understand why some of us have...reservations?"

Kai bristled because the old woman had no idea the kind of sacrifices Bonnie had made in the last ten years. He didn't have all the details himself, but from the kind of power he'd witnessed from her, not to mention the bleeding heart tendencies that was part and parcel of her personality, and then taking that trip inside her mind-it was obvious that the last decade hadn't been all that kind to Bonnie. She'd given up a lot for her friends, and probably for her town.

For fuck's sake, she'd died.

"I didn't exactly bring a resume," she said in a low voice. "But I'm willing to put in extra-"

"She saved an entire town from Silas, the immortal," Liv interrupted heatedly. "Stripped him of his magic, scrambled his mind, and banished him to the other side."

"Ever heard of Klaus Mikaelson?" piped up Tyler. "She desiccated him. The guy who murdered my mom, among others in Mystic Falls."

"Klaus is alive and well in New Orleans," said another elder. "Apparently, it didn't take."

"Oh, and when's the last time you encountered an original, hmm?" asked Kai. "Do tell."

The elder and a few others had the grace to appear discomfited then, withdrawing their overly smug demeanors before Kai's challenging gaze. But he couldn't be hostile here, or it would risk making the appointment a joke.

He spied Tariq and Luke along the edge of the crowd, and with them, he saw with some surprise-Fiona. Judging by the disparate reactions there, they'd witnessed the latest.

Tariq borderline grumpy as always, Luke pleased, and Fiona livid, her eyes going between Bonnie and Joshua with a calculated hardness that turned his insides cold. He glared at the woman intensely, willing her to look his way. When she did, he lifted a brow threateningly, and she dropped her eyes to the floor, sullen. Then his glance slid to his brother and Tariq. Luke shook his head, the gesture telling him both that Richard Vansel was still loose, and that Fiona wasn't currently a threat to them, no matter how she looked. He was well-acquainted with the type of restraining spells Luke and Tariq both favored; between the two of them, Fiona was probably being kept on a fairly short leash.

Otherwise, she probably would have been quick to jump into the fray, and put Bonnie at more of a disadvantage.

Rachel and Jo moved forward then, their faces keen. Both towered over Bonnie, who gazed back evenly.

"I knew Sheila," Jo said. "I remember meeting you, when you were-" she stopped, then squinted, her palm reaching down to her knees, "oh, yay high."

For the first time since facing the assembly, Bonnie let out a real smile. It was brief, but it was something.

"How is it that we haven't heard about you since then? You're a Bennett, we should've been in contact all this time."

Bonnie eyed the crowd warily. "Grams cloaked my presence from the mystical community at large. If you weren't actively searching for me, unearthing layers of protective shields, you weren't going to find me."

Rachel sighed in relief then, drawing curious faces. "Oh, don't mind me," she muttered. "Just glad she's not valley speaking. What was that for anyway? Why go to so much effort to hide yourself from everyone all weekend? Just part of the dramatic reveal?"

Here Bonnie shifted awkwardly. "I didn't want to make a fuss. It's Tyler and Liv's weekend."

"I suppose Kai upset your plans, then," Althea said knowingly, throwing a disapproving look his way. "She must not be a fan of your approach."

He shrugged. "There are some things to iron out."

Bonnie spoke quietly to a few of the witches closer around her, voice low, and he couldn't make out her words because of the buzz of conversation all around that sprang up then, but whatever she was saying seemed to placate the sea of questioning, and in some cases, cynical stares. A few of them then looked his way, their gazes turning understanding, and he lifted a brow towards the group-Bonnie specifically, his temper threatening to break once more.

If she was trying to sell some crap about this all being some kind of prank on his part, and trying to undo his actions, she didn't know him.

"I'm aware there's a chain of command to follow," he called out, "but consider this me taking a shortcut. I'm sanctioning a Bennett taking over the role formerly occupied by another Bennett." Then he let out a scoff disguised in a laugh. "Last I checked, I'm running a democracy, not a gang of idiots. Not much to vote on there, yeah?"

"This isn't the proper way to go about it," grumbled another senior, and Kai half-turned, hand reaching up to stroke his jaw in frustration, his eyes landing on Bonnie.

Okay, so he had clearly miscalculated, but it was nothing some strong-arming couldn't fix.

She shook her head at him, probably reading his thoughts clearly.

Smoothly, he slipped through the crowd and found his way to her side, taking in her upturned chin and eyes that were shadowed and mossy.

He hated that since the weekend started and her becoming more involved in his life, the bags under her eyes only kept growing.

"This woman has spent over a decade defending a town battered by supernatural forces almost all by herself, without the aid of a coven, or even a handful of other witches," he said. "Know why she hasn't needed it? Two things."

All around him, Gemini witches stared with begrudging curiosity.

"One, she's unbelievably stubborn. Annoying, but handy."

She wasn't showing any of her nerves, good for her-but as she glanced briefly back at him, he caught a flash of something.

Then his brain translated it, and a grin erupted on his face.

Pain, she was promising him plenty of that later.

"Two, she's pretty damn adept at Expression magic, turns out." He turned to the elders, a new round of shock sweeping over their faces. "Now, chew on that for the rest of the night. And I promise we'll have a meeting at another time and you can set up all the red tape you want, in order to make this happen. But right now, let's not piss off Liv and steal too much of her thunder."

He nodded to his sister, standing near Bonnie, offering the crowd her own sharp smile.

Then he caught sight of the three Cruxes standing together, Alanis murmuring in her mother's ear while her sister scowled. Althea Crux looked nothing more than thoughtful. Her daughter was probably letting her in on the cancellation, although he'd held off on revealing it to the rest of the coven. He and Alanis would need to present a unified front there, and it was impossible to do that now.

Frustration sent his gaze away, searching for his father. Only to be completely floored, finding Joshua now standing much nearer, almost reaching Bonnie's side, and smiling widely in approval.

Kai shot forward, putting himself between them.

"Liv, isn't it about time you unload that bouquet of yours?" he asked.

"I think you're right," she said, her tone pushy as she shouldered past several elders to signal to the coordinator. "Break it up, everyone."

He caught Matt and Caroline in the back, faking disinterest, like they were among the human guests who had missed everything. Matt's quick glance and briefly murderous glare had him rolling his eyes, before he pulled out his phone and sent a mass text to the crew.

 _Mickey dead. Joshua knew a/b B anyway. Needed reason to keep her close. Watch out for Noah's dad. Rachel was played. Stone missing._

A few lines, to keep everyone on the same page and also ward off any possible attempts on their part to set him on fire (Liv) or tear him limb from limb (her friends). Furtively, he caught Liv, Luke, and Matt checking their phones, tiny sags of their shoulders and small shakes of their heads their only reaction.

Tariq approached then, Fiona in tow.

"What is it with your family?" Kai muttered to the blonde. "Did you all mutually agree to lose your brains, with Noah being the exception?"

He cut off her explanation with a wave of his hand. "Later. Not here." Then he turned to Tariq to glean the latest at the compound. The old man was a whiz with getting confessions, but Clarice Vansel had been in such thoroughly shitty shape, he doubted even healing spells would have worked quickly enough to get her into a talking mood.

"Anything new?"

"She's out. Give her an hour."

"We don't have that."

Tariq gave a small shrug.

"Richard?"

"Cold. Can't sense him. Not here. Not their house."

"Any idea where daddy dearest might be?" Kai directed this to Fiona.

She shook her head dully, and there was a chance she was lying, of course, but he couldn't exactly beat it out of her just then.

Knowing Richard, the old man was probably in hiding in another state by now.

Tariq moved towards the back of the room, settling there with Fiona smiling pleasantly now, chatting with him and Luke, when he rejoined them. Definitely a short leash.

The band had struck up the chords to usher in the next round of festivities. Kai noted with relief the throng of women being gathered by Jo as Liv took her place to throw the bouquet. More than a handful of them were already several drinks in, judging by the scuffling taking place. A few of them were tracking the bouquet with one eye and with the other monitoring his own movements around the room. He toyed with the idea of temporarily hexing those women with butterfinger hands, but thought better of it. Let it not be said that the Gemini coven heir didn't play fair.

He had no intention of competing with anyone over catching the damn garter.

Seeing that a comparable group of men were similarly gathered nearby at Dex's direction, waiting for the garter, it was an easy thing for Kai to slip towards the back table seating the Mystic Falls gang.

Tired faces hidden behind pleasantly vacant smiles greeted him, except for Bonnie's. Hers was razor-edged, looking to cut.

"Now I can come sit with you," he said, grinning cheekily, pulling up a chair for himself.

"Exhibit A," Bonnie said to her friends, her eyes never leaving his face. "Dead man talking."

Kai bit down on his lip, offering her what he hoped was a smolder.

"How does your father know about her?" Matt asked, and Ka caught the tail end of his eye roll.

"Any number of ways," Kai said, shrugging. "Remember how I said you guys should've thought this through better? Or when I told you all to leave? Is this the appropriate moment for me to say _I told you so_?"

"Ugh," Caroline said. Then she leaned forward. "We need to go."

"I said that," Bonnie said tightly. "You, Matt, and Tyler. Right now. I can port you to the getaway before Liv even throws that bouquet."

"You need to come with us."

"No," Bonnie said quietly, and this time her gaze didn't meet his. She looked around the room calmly. "I'm part of the council now, remember? So I'm going to help this dumbass over here _advise_ his people to clear the area. Then we're going to finish this business with his father."

God, he wanted her so fucking bad just then. Although she had the wrong idea about how this night would go.

"You should listen to your friend, Bonnie," he said, casually eyeing the dais where his father stood, silent and alone now. "I didn't bring you in to throw you to the wolves. Advisors don't generally fight battles for us." Then he stretched out his foot, touching her sandal under the table, unseen by the others. "Among other things, this will put a damper on anyone else in my coven trying to snag you for more hush-hush dealings."

She didn't pull her foot away. Instead she rubbed her foot along his calf, smiling and making him forget to breathe. "Making deals is my choice," she said, "I don't need your permission."

Then her spiked heel stabbed down on the toes of his shoes, and he bit his tongue, swallowing a curse.

"Not gonna try your luck with the bouquet?" he choked out, glaring at her, and Bonnie's magic flared. Her veil now no longer needed, gold and black sparked out, skimming along the surface of her skin.

"Stunning," he muttered, sounding strangled as invisible fingers tightened around his throat.

Matt and Caroline threw doubtful glances at each other. "Maybe you should stop talking to her," Matt offered helpfully.

"Bonnie," Caroline whispered urgently. "People are staring."

"Oh, no worries," Kai said, clawing at his throat, but managing to wave dismissively with his other hand. "This is just foreplay."

That worked, like nothing else. Bonnie dropped her attack, and he got a huge thrill out of the blush that stole over her cheeks.

Before she could make any reply, though, the assembly broke into cheers as, simultaneously, the bouquet and the garter were thrown out, and two lucky people at the same time metaphorically said good-bye to a life of freedom.

He took that moment to lean in, his eyes intent on Bonnie's, not really wanting to let the words come out of his mouth but knowing it was something she should hear. Even if she wasn't now part of the coven somewhat, keeping it from her meant another fight later.

And he was so fucking tired of being at odds with her.

"Mickey and Noah's parents," he said. "They were the ones who stole your blood. When the homing beacon kicked in, I took my back up and we found them finishing up." He exhaled quickly. "They killed five of the catering staff."

Drawing a grimace from all three faces, he pushed on. "What I got from the spell..." His jaw clenched, dwelling on the continuance link and the grotesque masks painted in blood. Bonnie's blood, he now realized. "Your ancient witch blood, human sacrifices, trapped souls. That could mean any number of things."

"But if you had to guess?" Bonnie asked, and he knew it would be her asking, that she'd be the first to pick up on his wary tone.

He'd spent a few minutes scanning the circle in the Vansels' room and the essence of what they'd performed there hinted at signs of augmentation. From there, he pieced together what he knew: Mickey had lost the possessed woman, and they needed a new host for the possession spell, except the warlock and his crew had clearly been thinking on a grander scale, Bonnie's blood now making such a scheme possible.

"I think they used it to expand on the original spell for the possession."

"How?" Matt asked.

"Bigger and badder?" Caroline guessed, her face falling in dismay.

"No," Bonnie whispered, her eyes dawning in horror. "Numbers."

Then she shot up, and he right along with her, using his body to block her from storming off to play hero. "Bonnie, stop," he warned. "Don't go out there guns blazing."

"Kai, there are innocent people here," she stopped then, frowning. "Kids."

"Think I've forgotten?" he asked, scoffing. "I've been at it a little bit longer than you, Bonnie. People are where they need to be, in battle or rescue stations."

He nodded somewhere in the distance, and knew the moment her gaze found Maggie. The older woman sat serenely, but tipped her head in acknowledgement of them, as their eyes both rested on her.

"If things go south, Maggie's got the kids."

And Bonnie, and her friends, but Kai hoped it wouldn't get that far.

The sigh of relief he heard then tightened his chest a little. Was she so unused to this? Sharing the burden? What the fuck were her friends good for?

"You accused me of being a lone wolf before," he said softly, his lips near her ear. "But I've learned how to play well with others, Bon. Have you?"

Earning a glare from her that for the tiniest of moments, hid appreciation, the kind that set fire to his gut and lower body parts.

If only this goddamn night would end, and he could show her just how much he returned the sentiment.

Her hands gripped his abruptly, and she leaned towards him, her perfume hitting his nose. He breathed it in, missing her, even though she was right in front of him.

"Sorry, but I need to do this," and she grabbed his hands, but he knew her move, and mentally blocked it.

"What're you doing?" she hissed.

"What're _you_ doing?"

"Trying to get you out of here! Tariq needs to work the Tesseract sooner rather than later. The sooner he does it, the sooner we can concentrate on this new problem. You can't be within its reach."

"And you can?"

"I need to help. I'm not at risk of getting pulled into another dimension!"

"Forget it. Where's the damn Tesseract? We don't need it. I'll go kill my father now."

"He has the resurrection mask!"

"Correction. I have it."

She blinked. "What?"

"I stole it from him awhile back, switched it out with a dupe."

He gave his best shit-eating grin, expecting her to flash another of her appreciative faces, but instead hers turned livid, as she glanced back at her friends.

"I'm guessing Tariq doesn't know," she seethed.

"He does, but he thinks there are others. Doubt it, though. Getting your hands on just one's enough trouble."

"But you're not sure. So it doesn't change anything."

Why didn't that surprise him? She wanted guarantees at every turn, and he couldn't give her that. His father was not her problem, but she was making it. Mickey was dead, and that should've been enough to make him feel better, but it failed to, because he'd never really gone in on the idea that the dead warlock was the trigger for her. It was too pat. And she was too preoccupied with keeping himself out of danger. Did she forget who he was?

Double-edged sword, that, knowing how much she cared, and starting to suspect that he might've turned into one of her triggers. As much as her friends were.

"So," Matt said, preventing Bonnie from speaking again with a warning look. "Why don't we take the fight to him then? Right now?"

Kai raised his brows. "And what do you think I've been doing? Mickey's gone, Clarice locked up. My father and Richard are the only two left now." Caroline and Matt nodded slowly. "We have a plan. What I don't need is for anyone to get in my way. _Bonnie_."

Her expression was almost comical. "Are you serious? Since when do you guys listen to him?" When she turned it to her friends, and they didn't seem able to meet her gaze, her mouth dropped open. "What, did I turn into your beta witch now that he's around?"

"It's adorable how you like to compete with me," he murmured, smiling at her, raking her form from head to toe, because he'd be lying if there wasn't a part of him that wanted to face off with her in one of the covenant challenges, the thought so enticing it was almost arousing.

"Bonnie," he saw Caroline's face turn appeasing as she spoke, while Matt continued avoiding Bonnie's glare. "You know that's not true. But it's his coven. And why put yourself at more risk?"

"For now, let's sit in the back seat," Matt said. "Especially since we've got more witches on our side. Let Kai run his show."

Sounded wonderful, but it didn't look like Bonnie shared the thought.

"You've got your other friends waiting outside, anyway," Kai said.

Bonnie frowned. "What?"

Kai chuckled, waving a finger in disapproval at Matt and Caroline. "You didn't tell her? Wow. Color me shocked."

But then, it made sense. When he'd warned them earlier about Bonnie's magic going haywire, setting off alarms for them, for once they had the right reaction, and now were trying to keep her from taxing herself. It helped they had him to lean on, and he didn't mind shouldering most of it, if it meant keeping Bonnie safe.

Bonnie's hand snaked out again, and this time he let it happen. A brief rush of power surrounded their forms as she channeled him, his storm wrapped around pieces of her sun, and around all of that, the black spirals of Expression, cascading over without any effort almost.

Best fucking feeling ever.

In moments they were no longer standing in the hall, but one of the hotel rooms. Neat and sterile looking, nothing to indicate a guest had occupied it recently, except when he squinted in concentration, a huge powerful ward sprang up at him from the floor.

"Was this your room?" he asked.

She nodded, her eyes cagey as she stepped backwards, but his hand shot out, pulling her back. Crashing together, he captured her mouth, holding her snugly against him, and he didn't much care that she fought it-was that even in doubt anymore? Being contrary to him was her default setting. Their tongues stroked desperately, his hands finding the curves that his eyes had traced over all night, hers alternately tangling in his hair then shoving against his shoulders before wrapping over them to grip the back of his neck.

He had an idea why she'd brought them here, nothing that involved riotous sex-at least on her end-but Jesus, she should've known better.

The world could be ending, the sky falling around their ears, and he'd jump to make use of this moment alone with her.

Her arms pushing into his chest, he let himself topple back on the bed, keeping a hold of her waist so she fell with him, kissing still, his lungs needing air but disregarding the basic urge until she started smacking his shoulders.

He pulled away, both of them breathless, gratitude washing over him when she didn't rise instantly, but just lay beside him for a few moments, the rise and fall of their chests steadying as they both studied the entwined ribbons of magic above them.

"Why would you put me on the council? After what my grandmother did to you?"

It honestly befuddled her, his move. Her, lying there, steady-eyed and with her radiant magic hovering over them. He'd never met anyone so sure of who they were, flaws and everything, and he had an idea that while she liked to coddle her friends, she never extended the courtesy to herself. If she ever lied to herself, it was probably never to make her life easier. Morally upright, overly giving to her friends, but equally brutal to enemies. And she was incapable of backing down.

She was exactly what the council needed. And he and the other Geminis-a group of takers, was the succinct way to put it-were precisely what had been missing from her own life.

Nobody had ever taught her that witches could be on top.

She liked to think she played alpha witch with her friends, but really, judging by that little trek into her head, she'd probably spent a decade being the girl Friday to a bunch of vampires.

"What it comes down to, Bon," he said, his eyes roaming her features while he let his fingers stroke over her lashes, before ghosting over her cheeks and lips. "Is an ideal marriage."

Her eyes which had fluttered close under his touch, suddenly shot wide open, in complete alarm.

"Are you high?"

"Of minds." He laughed at her terror. "You bring a fresh perspective to my coven. And vice versa. We'll probably turn your world upside down."

With firm pressure, he coaxed her mouth open again, teasing her bottom lip between his, his hand on her cheek and the other cupping the back of her head. She tried to form a sentence, pushing against him once more, but he didn't budge, his mouth hungry and amnesiac, as if they hadn't just tasted each other moments ago.

"Just so you know, your Grams is longer on my shit list, Bonnie," he said lightly, when they broke apart. "In fact, I owe her."

Foggy-eyed, she frowned. "But-"

"She brought you back." Then before that statement could full settle over her, he asked, "Hey, you like jam?"

* * *

She did like jam, and what the hell kind of question that was, she didn't even bother reading into, as she fought to wriggle out of his grip. "Let me go, Kai."

"Can't."

His body trapped hers on the bed. Oh, God, this wasn't why she'd brought him to her room. "We're not here for sex, if that's what you're thinking."

His head swiveled to the side as he pretended to consider that. "Mmm. Not really thinking right now, to be totally honest here."

"Clearly."

His eyes closed, and milliseconds later a jar appeared in his hands. He unscrewed the cap, dipped his fingers in, then smeared something soft, squishy, and fruity along her lips.

"You-"

"Shh," he said, his eyes darkening as he peered at her mouth. "Worst time for this."

She stared back up in complete bewilderment. Oh, he looked the picture of looney tunes just then. And parts of her liked it.

He bent his head down, licking her lips, and then groaned and planted his mouth on hers. She tried-God, she really did-her hands stayed on the bed, fighting against the impulse to throw them around his head and feel his hair and push his face closer to hers.

They had people downstairs near panic.

 _She_ was near panic.

Wide-eyed, she watched as, without breaking the kiss, even while his tongue delved deeper inside her mouth, his fingers found the jar again, his lips against hers stumbling a soft chant. The sound of ripping reached her ears. Distantly, it registered-there went her dress. He lowered his head, his hair tickling her chest. Bonnie gasped at the touch of something wet on her nipples, his fingers smearing them quickly, sloppy.

" _No_ time for this," she said. "Stop, you crazy ass."

He breathed in deeply, his thumbs rubbing jelly around her areolas. With a quiet whisper, more appeared between her breasts, and then magic swirled in his eyes, as he let them run down her body, a cold and mushy layer of deep red fruitiness trickling down to follow his gaze.

"Really can't," he said. "Sorry."

It pooled at the apex of her thighs. She clenched her legs together, sparks forming around her to push him off, and he hovered away, above her, but his own magic spiked around him, fighting the force of her spell. Suspended over her, his hands held out but her naked body just out of his reach, he laughed wickedly, then easily shed his own clothes, floating them to the floor.

He was rock hard, she saw, jutting fiercely out.

She scrambled up and off the bed, but his growl and a surge of magic froze her in place, and then he crashed into her.

"Don't you fucking dare," he whispered, his arms pinning her.

Then his hands, and his mouth-and that jam. All over her.

She couldn't-his hands squeezed her breasts, his tongue suckling forcefully on her stiff nipples, teeth biting hard into her skin, and before she could react, his head slid down, following the trail down her length, deft tongue lapping at the mess.

How she could let this happen now was beyond her ability to grasp just then, but they were under so much pressure and a few people were drunk downstairs and in full party mode still, so why not have sex before they went off to face doom? Her hands tangled in his hair, and when he reached her entrance, he pried her thighs apart, snaking his hands around and over them to rest on her hips.

Nobody could tell her people didn't do this...she and her friends had faced armageddon far too often and a last-minute romp was nothing new on anyone's part-except hers. Normally, this would've been the part where she went over her ingredients for a spell or made a call to her friends to finalize their parts or something unexpected came up and she had to be the one to regroup with a plan B.

Instead, she teetered on the edge of fornicating under the influence of fruit preserve.

He glanced at her, jam around his mouth and nose and cheeks, and blood still coated around his hand and wrist. Bonnie's mouth worked, without any sound leaving her.

Leaning down, he tasted her, drawing out her choked curse while her legs fell open wider and her hips tilted towards his face.

His arms tightened around her thighs, his tongue invading deep, mouth firm against her folds. The cool trickle of jam found its way inside her, his pleased grunt rumbling through her core as he tasted it with long strokes. She felt his fingers join, the cool bite of one his rings and the jolt of power he let out against her walls arching her hips, lifting them both off the bed.

She moaned, her fingers clutching at the sheets, her nails almost tearing through the wispy soft fabric, as his rough tongue glided against her clit.

He was right, no stopping this.

Sparks of gold and black formed around her.

"Bonnie," he said, leaning away.

"Keep going," she gasped. "Jerk."

His face was hazy with lust and joy and a hint of ...worry?

"Control it," he said.

"Wha?"

He slid up, and she gave a frustrated moan as his erection rubbed against her mound.

His laugh was as aggravated, but he held her eyes.

"Let's not wreck the place."

"How?"

He swallowed, kissing her jaw, his hands soft as they caressed her nipples and the skin of her collarbone. "Revel in it," he murmured into her ear.

His mouth seared her, poker hot, her nerve endings sending signals to her brain to set the world ablaze but then his fingers tangled with hers, and his stiffness brushed her opening. "Ease up," he said.

White blue flames bathed the walls of the room, when he moved away.

His eyes teemed with magic again and she felt jam on her lips once more. Tentatively, she licked it, and then smiled. The answering tilt of his lips made her laugh, until he shifted, adjusting them, and she found herself on top.

Coils of silver blue whipped around the room, wind chasing her flames away, until the walls were back to normal.

His hands gripped her hips, but she shied away, reaching for the jar. His breathing slowed, when her fingers coated in goo moved over his penis, rubbing soft but quick. Her hair splayed over his hips, she licked the tip of him, her hands teasing his base, before she took him completely in her mouth, berry and pre-cum mingling on her tongue.

"God, yes," he choked, his hands twining in her hair.

Safe to say this was definitely not normal Bonnie behavior. But just like he couldn't seem to control himself, neither could she. Revel in it, he'd said. She swirled her tongue around his hardness, then bit gently, as her head bobbed over him. His eyes were arrested on hers, silver gleaming out from his pupils, and her own tendrils reached out, tangling in the air between them, before she bent her head and pumped her hands at his base, to meet her lips.

He groaned, his hips jerking, and she closed her eyes, picking up her pace. Slightly appalled how much she enjoyed this and how little she cared right now what the hell was happening downstairs. His veiny erection in her mouth and her own throbbing wetness occupied her in the worst way, and her fingers reached for her entrance, dipping inside.

"Oh, fuck, Bonnie-let me-" and then she felt herself lifted up, straddling his lap, and somehow sliding directly onto him, smooth and easy and-God, she missed the way he filled her.

Their moans blended together in the air, joining their magic. Soft wind whipped around them, as their hips crashed together, her knees drawn up on his torso as his fingers gripped her ass, guiding her bouncing movements over him, meeting his thrusts. He squeezed, spreading her wider, filling her more with his girth, and he leaned up, sucking and biting at her nipples. Hazy-eyed, she watched black-gold coils winding around the room, blue and silver currents spinning through them, racing against each other.

"What're you doing?" she panted, her hands reaching up to grab his shoulders.

HIs magic was pulling on hers, and she felt the draw in her bones, as that familiar unraveling started deep inside her, working from the bottom up.

"Control it," he urged again, sweat forming on his brow as his face stayed between her breasts. Abruptly, he switched their places, continuing his pumping as he shifted again, turning her as they stayed joined. She leaned against the headboard, knocking rhythmically when he pushed into her from behind, his hands kneading her breasts.

"Kai," she whimpered, leaning down, backing into his thrusts wildly, cresting over and milking him, shuddering into her orgasm, fighting to keep her magic calm. At the last second, she couldn't do it, a pulse of power blasting out from her, and the room brightened, flames coating the walls again, but just as quickly his currents whipped them away, a frenzied storm sucking blue and white fire into its whorls.

"It's okay," he grunted.

When she looked back, caught in aftershocks, it was to find his eyes were completely silver, but for the pale blue sparks where his irises should've been, his gaze literally electrified. He leaned over, capturing her mouth fervently as he spilled his own release, groaning incoherently. Tendrils of magic instead of bursting out, spinning towards him, merging inside his eyes, where power splintered in lightning bursts, before dying out.

"Alright," she breathed. "You need to teach me that trick."

Lord, but that was _really_ damn sexy.

He laughed, and they fell back on the bed, rumpled sheets the only sign of their activity, in an otherwise unmarked room. His fingers tangled with hers, and when they kissed, it was unhurried, soft, and tender, and her eyes closed, indulging in the intimacy of the moment, feeling his seed laying deep inside her.

Absently, she realized they'd forgotten the condom. She would need to do the spell later, to make sure there wouldn't be any surprises for them in nine months.

"Where do you work, anyway?"

Through the cloud in her mind, his words registered. "I'm an archivist for a research company. Specialize in restoring rare objects and documents."

"Fitting for a witch," he said, smiling. "What was your major?"

"Anthropology."

"You tied to a museum or something?"

"Tied to records, mostly. Sometimes I go in the field." She tapped his chest with a finger, slick with sweat under her touch. "When science fails, my magic's pretty handy with restoration. One of my bosses knows that about me."

He was quietly playing with her hair, and she let it go, because in another few moments she would need to get dressed and they'd have to part ways, and the thought just sucked. A lot.

"So you can go anywhere."

"Kai-"

"That wasn't fucking, Bonnie," he said casually.

Air from her lungs swooped up, converged in her throat, making her swallow nervously as they drew apart, and she let her eyes rest on his chin, unable to meet his gaze for fear of what she'd find in his. "No?"

"Kinda new to this," he said, and she caught his rueful smile, "but I think we just made lo-"

He drifted off to sleep, her magic coiled gently around his form.

Dressing herself shakily, the old-fashioned way, only using her powers to fix the tear he'd made on the lace, she had to use magic to clothe him, but buttoned his shirt herself. He lay sleeping peacefully on the bed, stubbled jaw at odds with how young the rest of his features looked just then. She traced his brow and the angles of his face, then leaned in to kiss him, lingering on his bottom lip. When she pulled back, it was with a smile.

He was going to be so pissed, but it was worth it.

She'd stepped outside the bounds of the ward when she heard him stir. How the hell was that possible? Nobody broke a sleeping spell that quickly.

Damn Kai.

"Bonnie," came the groggy grumble, and she ran out of the room, hoping he didn't have any tricks up his sleeves when it came to breaking defensive wards. Or at least, that his tricks took long enough to work that it gave the others the chance to use the Tesseract on Joshua.

Quickening her steps, she reached the hall and found her friends. Caroline's eyes widened, her nose twitching, and Bonnie mentally cursed heightened vampire senses, as her friend broke into a grin, completely at odds with the anxiety in her eyes, but Caroline was one of those strange creatures who could still always appreciate spontaneity despite having control issues.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my friend?" the blonde asked.

Bonnie ignored that, taming the flush stealing into her cheeks, knowing she failed when Matt eyed her doubtfully.

"Right," he said, glancing between her and Caroline, his eyes suddenly flashing with realization. "So I guess you found a way to keep Kai away from that device."

She nodded, looking towards Noah. Across the room, he seemed to understand the urgency in her gaze, and he whispered in Tariq's ear. Near them, Luke stepped closer to Fiona, and she suddenly understood what they were playing at. Drawing out Richard Vansel, by using his daughter as bait, but she hoped it wouldn't misfire on them.

Joshua was once again ensconced in a sea of coven members, all murmuring around him, and she felt their gazes on her intermittently, Joshua smiling when she caught his look, all paternal reassurance except in his eyes, which held contempt and anger.

The rest of the crowd mingled merrily, like they knew things would soon be coming to an end and wanted to get their last party-hearty in. Liv and Tyler were at the dais with her siblings, but Liv broke away and hurried over, her face happy but once again in conflict with her eyes.

"Sorry," Liv said without preamble, grabbing Bonnie's hands. "I had no idea Kai was going to do that. We can find a way out of it. If you want."

She smiled nervously. "We'll see."

"Is he safe? Tyler gave me the device to hold."

"Hand it over to Noah next chance you get. He and Tariq are getting ready, I think."

Liv turned back. "The cake will be coming out." She reached out to Caroline as well, the three women's hands linked as Liv squeezed theirs with fierce hope, before drawing a breath. "Almost there, you guys."

The brief moment of solidarity gave them all a small rush of adrenaline, even Matt, as he shot them a grin, then lifted two crossed fingers.

"After, I'm going to help Luke track down Richard," Liv said. "We still on with the plan, right?"

The others nodded, and Bonnie was starting to resent how they kept talking about this plan, her remaining slightly clueless aside from suspecting that they meant to keep leaving her out of the loop.

Damn Kai.

Then she recalled his earlier words. _"Your other friends waiting outside..."_

Realization dawning now, Bonnie glared at the pair beside her.

"You didn't," she said accusingly.

Matt and Caroline shifted uncomfortably.

Bonnie shook her head in disbelief. "Kai knows, and he didn't go out there and try to kill anyone?"

"Surprisingly, he was pretty chill," Caroline said, then cut her eyes to Matt warningly.

"You're a good influence," Matt supplied.

"Now you're his cheerleaders," Bonnie said, irritated.

"No," came the low, lilting voice beside her ear. "That'd be you."

Dismayed, Bonnie turned to see Kai standing beside her, smiling wickedly.

"Always wanted to date one."

Annoyance and despair welled up inside her, sending her gaze to Tariq and Noah. The younger man was keeping tabs, and she saw her own reaction mirrored on his face.

"Be great if you could quit looking all yearning at another man when I'm here," he said, faking a pout. "We all know which one of us really rocks your world."

"Kai," she seethed. "Get out of the way."

"Know what else would be great? If you stopped playing hot potato with the Tesseract. Where the hell is it, Bonnie?"

Liv forestalled any reply, by abruptly stalking forward and getting in her brother's face. "Nuh-uh," she said angrily, shoving him back. "How many times do I have to tell you? Leave my friend alone, Kai."

Just then, the caterers rolled out an enormous tiered concoction.

"Oooh!" Kai pointed with an excited grin, eyes widening. "Cake!"

But Liv kept pushing him, all the way towards the back of the room, and Bonnie almost-but not really-gave into a surge of sympathy for Kai, because a pissy Liv was just about one of her least favorite things to encounter.

* * *

Life in the coven wasn't what she would call a magic carpet ride, and for the most part, being a Gemini witch didn't entail many fairy-tale experiences. For as far back as Liv could remember, it was practice, reading, more practice, fighting, gruesome ritual sacrifices involving small mammals or avian creatures, practice yet again-and at a certain age, somewhere between the legal voting and drinking years, council duties.

Council duties involved politicking with the magical community at large, and because of new responsibilities, everything else became simplified. It marked the official start of indulging in magic more freely. Elders eased off your back, expectations became looser, and morals slipped further into gray. Witch politics mirrored the larger machine of normal politics in the human world-backstabbing and lobbying and the juggling of varied and often conflicting interests.

Somewhere along the way, the struggle every semi-respectable witch or warlock had lay in being able to wake up mornings and still manage to look at the reflection in the mirror without much faltering.

After all, a two thousand-year existence was only possible if an institution embraced flexibility. Given their unyielding stance towards certain things-fraternizing with other lower forms of supernaturals, for example-it wasn't a surprise that in a lot of ways, the Geminis were exceptional for turning a blind eye.

Mickey Wallingsford was one example. The Parker merge ceremony was another.

Appointing an advisor to their round table?

That wasn't one of their flexible areas.

Kai knew this, knew it well, chafed against it but during his tenure as heir managed to abide by it the entire time. Yet somehow-tonight-patently gave no flying fucks about it, when he pulled her best friend up before the entire crowd, and not only unmasked her identity, but shoved her into the role without _any_ kind of prep.

Not only did the move potentially move them that much closer to discovery-about Tyler, and Caroline, and their Mystic Falls lifestyle that ran counterculture to not only the Gemini standards, but also other covens'-but such a step wasn't something that any witch lightly took. Especially Bonnie.

Bonnie who, from the moment Liv found out about her heritage and her history, never seemed to have qualms living like a damn white hat renegade. For someone who didn't embrace conventions, the weirdest thing about it was how deeply conservative Bonnie was in so many other aspects. Like in her love life. No long-term entanglements, and of the short-term ones, Liv knew only slightly more about from those rare times when Bonnie felt like sharing stories about that part of her life, usually under the influence of liquor. So while the handful of spicy encounters made her relieved the girl didn't entirely live like a nun-still, it was nowhere near the sexual liberation modern females enjoyed.

And for sure, nothing remotely resembling her brother's level of a good time.

Two people really couldn't be any more different.

But then...

So similar. Organized, efficient, shouldering responsibilities, subverting stereotypes, above average smart, and pig-headed beyond belief. All that, they shared. And also, now that she was thinking about it, that self-imposed lack of intimacy in relationships? Both were pros there, each classic commitment phobes when it came to romance. Bonnie was just better at hiding it.

Richard Vansel at large, her father plotting, the stench of rotten things in the air, and now...this. Drama.

It gave her the biggest headache, her brother and her friend, and worrying about the potential for heartbreak there. If they got through the night, and into tomorrow, and time passed, enough that this thing between them progressed, but down the line went kablooey in a bad way?

Liv would be the shitty friend and terrible sister for letting it happen under her watch.

And was there a chance her brother could go insane from it? Yep. Big time.

Which was why she needed to handle the subject delicately. Squinting her eyes at him now, studying his gaze as it drifted over to her friend and lingered, Liv took a breath and tried to aim for tactful.

"If you're screwing with Bonnie just for kicks, I'll dismember you and feed those pieces to Tyler on the next full moon," she warned.

When he looked back at her with mild amusement, she crossed her arms and added a glare for good measure.

"Not that it's any of your business," he finally replied. "Or that I find your threats believable in any way...but I'm not."

"Okay, well, I hope you haven't turned her off by being too intense, then. She's gun-shy when it comes to guys who come on too strong."

"Note to self."

"If you like her so much, why the hell did you throw her under the bus? She's not ready for the council seat."

He let out an aggrieved sound that came out halfway between a snort and a growl. "Nice. No faith in your own friend, Liv?"

"It's not that, Kai." How often had she brought up the topic of covens and witch communities with Bonnie herself? Not to entice her friend into joining any of them, but because the life that they led in Mystic Falls-that Bonnie had pretty much introduced Liv to-seemed to preclude being a part of any of those."She has her own way of doing things. All those official titles? Don't mean squat to her. If the elders thought Sheila Bennett was a cowboy, wait 'til they get a load of Bonnie."

"Good. She'll keep 'em on their toes. Bonnie can go a lot further than even her grandmother did."

Oy vay, and the way he said that. Liv rubbed at her forehead, eyeing him with growing unease. She'd never seen him this way before, not even a little bit like this.

There was a chance he'd be the one getting burned here.

"It's not just new territory for Bonnie, but for you." Then she let her tone soften. "This is your first spin on the merry-go-round, and falling off the ride or getting pushed off? It fucking sucks."

"Mm. Not digging the comparison. I don't even like merry-go-rounds. Just a little creepy, don't you think? All those animals bobbing to circus muzak."

"Seriously, Kai, I don't want to lose my friend, or go back to thinking of you as an evil douche bag."

"Well, much as I appreciate the warning," he said, moving off, seemingly bored with the conversation, but just before walking away for good, he bent down, patting her cheeks fondly. "You're overdoing it. There's a lot between me and her that would surprise you. Probably in a good way. But like I said, it's none of your beeswax. So if I were you, I'd focus on making it to your second day as Mr. and Mrs. Pooch."

"You could lose big here, Kai. Just tread carefully."

"Livvie poo, don't you know by now?" He smiled confidently. "I always win."

* * *

He hadn't paid much attention to most of the wedding planning details-not the ones that didn't involve hiding his beastly secret-but the cake selection he had. Liv had gotten annoyed by all the varieties, Caroline had smoothly stepped in, and from out of nowhere came up with this.

He wondered if his friend had any idea how her talent was going to waste as a paralegal instead of as a professional wedding planner. Liv raved about how Caroline picked out the perfect color schemes and florists and whatever all that other crap was, but Tyler realized her skills now, looking at the cake. Caroline knew her shit.

Five layers of white cake with simple scrolls piping up along the side, mixed with intermingling gold and brown branches that ended, along the top, with tiny flourishing cluster leaves of red, gold, and green. Not too girly, or gaudy, and meshed with everything else about their rustic wedding.

"That edible?" Tyler whispered through the side of his mouth.

Liv smiled at him, genuinely, giving him just the smallest peace of mind that they were headed in the right direction. She had been uptight all night, and irritated with almost everything he did, so it was kind of nice to say something without earning the look of death from her.

Their guests gathered around, and Tyler could sense the change in everyone's mood, that last-call lower-key excitement of people trying to figure out if they had enough of partying or if they would just move to another venue.

He was done for the night, and if they could get through this cake cutting, he couldn't move fast enough to get his friends out of here. Because that was his share of the plan-getting his friends out and helping clear the other guests from the lodge. Which he hoped wouldn't get too battered in Tariq's plan to get rid of Joshua. If Richard Vansel showed up, he had faith in Kai and his crew to subdue the guy.

They were really damn close.

The cameras began flashing, and he caught sight of the photographer and one of Liv's sisters at the edge of the crowd. Something festive rang out as the band segued into the cake cutting, and one of the staff handed Liv the knife.

He stepped nearer to Liv, placing his hand over hers on the handle as they both moved to slice a piece.

"That's a huge slice, Tyler," she said, eyes widening.

"Not really, it's barely enough for me," he said, causing some of the guests to chuckle.

She offered him the first forkful, and the cake was as amazing to eat as it was to look at, a moist, white almond concoction with raspberry filling. He chewed with zest, then offered her some from his fork, but when she leaned in to taste, he followed it up with his finger, smearing cake on her cheek. Earning a look of outrage but also, he saw, relief, as she laughed at him.

One step closer to ending now...

She took the rest of the slice and shoved it all on his face.

"Wow," he said, blinking through the icing on his eyelashes.

The guests broke into uproar, cameras flashing in a frenzy.

He saw Bonnie and Caroline in the crowd, laughing, and Matt grinning, then his gaze found Kai, not surprised to find he wasn't keeping up with the festivities. Instead, the man was in full scowl mode, and Tyler followed his line of sight, which ended on Joshua Parker's face.

Liv's father was looking right at them, as they stood before the cake. Clear loathing in his expression, which didn't appear at all like how he'd been the entire night, like he was Santa Claus.

Then he heard the shout-

"Tyler," and tracked in confusion Kai stepping forward, eyes blazing with magic.

At the same moment, pain erupted out from his ribs, his chest exploding with fire, spreading outwards in that familiar burst of energy that he hated, three nights out of the month.

A plate splintered on the ground, Liv dropping it as she screamed, her hands holding him to keep him upright, but he couldn't take her touch just then. Everything burned. And hurt. Like a fucking bitch.

Deep from inside, came that sickening crunch of bones.

"The fuck-" he choked, stumbling into the cake, toppling the table.

Guests screamed, scrambling away, and he saw a few point to him. Blinking through the pain, he glanced down and found dark spirals of amber magic rising out from his chest.

Where a deep red stone jutted out over his heart.

"No," he gasped, his hand moving to take it out, but it stayed in place, like someone was holding it there. "Liv-"

The air beside him moved in a wave, and suddenly Geoff Parker appeared, crouched beside him, the other man's hand twisting the stone deeper inside his ribcage.

"My sister can't help you now," the other man said, freezing Liv in place with a hand. "Werewolf."

* * *

A/N: dun dun duuuuun...gold star for the guests who called geoff being the culprit. :)

I caught tvd bloopers on you tube and there's this part where they're doing outtakes from that scene with Kai and jam and KG/CW have this tiny exchange that sounded super charged (to me) and like they were still in character. * shrugs * So, yeah, hello jam sex.

Thanks once again for the feedback, you guys. Some of you mentioned that you'll miss reading this version of Bonkai, and I'll miss writing them also, but I think with the right plot bunny, I'll come back to them. There's a lot outside of this wedding weekend I kinda want to explore. Maybe a much shorter multi-chapter jaunt for the pair, at some point down the line.


	29. Chapter 29

_CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE_

As soon as Liv took Kai away for what would probably turn into one of her patented chew-outs, most likely over that council seat announcement, Bonnie made her way to Noah's side, Caroline and Matt in tow. Luckily, the blond warlock was sitting alone and nearby, as if he'd anticipated the move.

"Liv has the device," Bonnie said by way of greeting.

Noah nodded, his eyes closing momentarily, like he was just savoring the wine. Moments later, when he opened them, he gave a small nod. "Not anymore. She probably doesn't even realize." When Bonnie raised her brows, he added, "That's sort of my thing."

"What are you, a magical thief?" Matt asked dubiously.

The smugness in Noah's blue eyes dimmed, as he eyed the other man warily. "Aren't you a cop?"

Caroline's narrowed gaze took them both in. "Seriously, we don't have time for this law and order detour."

"She's right," Bonnie said, then smiled when an elder passed the group and dawdled unnecessarily slowly. Her next words were purposely vague but hopefully enough to get her point across. "I'm sure you know what's next, Noah."

"Of course," he said smoothly, turning up the charm with his own flirtatious return look at her, before leaning in to her side, whispering, "I'll get it to Tariq now."

When he walked away, Bonnie caught Joshua's glance resting on them momentarily, triggering her alarms. She glanced behind her, but Kai and Liv were still busy, this time Kai no longer wearing that mocking indifference that was part and parcel of his public face, and she wondered what could've been the topic to put such a serious look there.

But the thought was shoved aside by concerns over just how much Joshua knew of their group. Somehow, he'd uncovered her real identity, and while Tariq had mentioned that he'd unearthed her secret from her tinkering with Kai's ward, she had doubts that was how Joshua had found out about her.

She hoped none of her interactions with Noah had clued the man in about Tariq's coup, but in case they had, then following the cake cutting, he and Noah would need to draw Joshua far enough away from the crowd, especially from Kai, to use the Tesseract. Her mind, on overdrive practically the entire weekend, raced with new possibilities.

Since Kai was being impossible, there were other options to consider now. On hand were four vampires whose speed could work in everyone's favor. She didn't much have hope that Caroline could be swayed, since now she and Matt seemed so gung-ho following Kai's orders.

"Where are the others?" she asked in a flat tone, with a look conveying how little patience she had just then for any bullshit.

"By the rock quarry, where you put the door into the ward," Caroline said.

Bonnie was moving away when her friend stopped her with a firm grip.

"Bonnie," Caroline warned, and she saw in her friend's expression that same flash of desperation that Kai had worn earlier.

So that was it. He'd clued everyone else in on that possible future, where she lost control of her powers. No wonder they were all falling so neatly in line with him.

"He's in danger, Care," Bonnie pleaded. "Please don't get in my way. I don't-I can't-"

She shook her head mutely, unable to form the next words, unsure herself if what was trying to escape her throat was an actual threat against one of her oldest childhood friend, or worse-some kind of confession about how much the thought of losing him terrified her, and how it wasn't even about his life being linked to his coven's, and hundreds of men, women, and children. In the end, what mattered was that it was _his_ life.

"If we can't clear the lodge in time," Bonnie said, straining to keep calm, "and Kai won't budge about leaving, then I'll go draw Joshua and whoever's with him, away from everyone else. Think about it. We're better off getting the bad guys out, and dealing with them where there's a smaller chance of collateral damage."

"That's kind of Kai's plan, too," Caroline said. "Didn't you guys talk it over-ugh, don't bother answering. I guess you were otherwise occupied."

"Don't even go there. He's trying to keep me in the dark."

"Only to make sure you're safe," Matt said. "He's not wrong."

"Since when you do you guys treat me with kid gloves? Start it next week, if you have to. What's the other part of his plan?"

Her two friends shared a commiserating glance, before Matt caved. "Clear the lodge, with our help. Then get the cavalry to take you elsewhere."

She tottered on the edge of laughing. Right. That _would_ be his plan, the mirror image of hers. What was it she'd felt about losing Kai? No, she would happily kill him herself just then. Ridiculous how much at cross-purposes they were, and it was enough.

She'd had it.

Catching sight of Liv and Kai making their way back, she cut him off before his attention could be grabbed by anyone else, then pulled him into the circle with her friends. "Give us some cover so he and I can regroup," she told the others, then glared at Kai. "Pull me inside that dumb head of yours."

Matt and Caroline's eyes widened, while Liv, seeming to understand what that comment entailed, nodded firmly.

Kai grinned, taking a sip from his wine, his pupils lighting up with magic as he gazed back at her with immense satisfaction.

 _*Step into my parlor, said the spider to the fly...*_

His voice lingering inside her mind caused her eyes to flutter briefly, a shudder overtaking her and she couldn't tell at first if it was pleasant or not, but the whisper of his magic tilted her in the right direction, and she almost sighed from its familiar touch.

The last thing she saw before the world fell away were her friends' worried faces, and she opened her mouth to reassure them, but it was too late.

She stood inside what appeared to be a penthouse apartment, outfitted with modern and industrial touches, the high ceilings covered in chalk marks that looked aged, the kitchen done with the latest gourmet steel appliances and quartz countertops.

Sparely decorated but for rows of bookshelves, a couch and coffee table, and barstools at the large kitchen island, she saw the wraparound balcony had room to seat four on the outdoor set.

"Where are we?"

"My apartment. Downtown Portland."

A hallway lay on her right, and a series of photographic prints on the wall to her left, a few of random places, far more of buildings in different structures and styles. One frame took center space, and it was the largest of them, set in sepia tone. Kai stood behind her; she didn't look back at him, but instead approached the photograph of what looked like an ancient city gate.

"Where is this?" she asked.

"Pompeii."

Its principal occupancy on his wall seemed fitting. He _would_ be drawn to a city in ash-how profoundly right. She yearned to hear all about it.

"Who took all these pictures?"

"My grandfather. Photography was one of his hobbies. Turns out he didn't suck so much at it, either."

That he'd devoted an entire wall of his apartment to his grandfather's past time crushed her. Oh, God, this man. Where the hell had he been all her damn life? When she turned, his expression wasn't closed to her, which made her job so much harder just then. She needed to be firm and wished she was facing the other Kai, from this morning. The one with the poker face, instead of a man looking entirely too vulnerable.

"Help you with something, Bonnie?"

"What happened to the five victims?" she asked, her mind spinning in a new direction.

"We have a vault at the compound. Sublevels beneath sublevels there."

"And your coven keeps a spare room for random corpses?" she asked.

"We run into it a lot. What do you guys do with yours?"

"Burn them, mostly. The ones that don't deserve funerals." In the beginning, Stefan and Damon had run around burying them outside of city limits, with Caroline and Elena pitching in to help, but once Bonnie had mastered her primary element, that had been their new M.O. "The human victims, we take them somewhere for burial. We know a priest. He offers funeral rites."

Kai nodded. "We have a different chaplain for those." He sighed. "Clean up is-sucky."

"Did you know any of them?"

He shook his head.

"We need to protect the rest of them somehow, maybe a mental shield. I can whip one up-"

"We don't have time for that, Bonnie, not to mention those kinds of things will drain you."

"Not if I use-"

"Don't even finish that sentence. You're not using Expression just to wrap the entire lodge in a protective mind bubble. You could waste yourself."

He had a point. That kind of spell would mean burn out, or a permanent vegetative coma. But with Expression it was unlikely. She was fairly sure she could handle it. But he would put a stop to it. Ugh.

She swallowed down her nerves. "Everyone needs to be on the same page."

"Exactly. So. We clear everyone out. I lure my father-"

"You can't go near the device-"

"Fine, neither will you."

"I won't go near it, either," she conceded. "Just let me help Noah and Tariq draw your father out. As soon as they start the spell, I'll get out of their way. I'll find you guys and help clear the lodge, too."

His sigh this time came out more like a growl. Dropping to the couch, his face turned to the ceiling to floor windows at an expanse of sky that was black except for bright stars winking back at them. It was wrong, she knew, there were probably high-rise buildings and city lights that were missing from the landscape, but they were in his mind and that was the view he wanted.

His apartment was surprisingly inviting, and she wanted to sit on his lap just then and enjoy it.

"The cake cutting will start really soon," she added lamely. "We don't-"

"-have time," he finished, sounding bitter. "Yeah, that's our song, isn't it?"

Which utterly finished her, his tone of voice. She gave in, walked over, settled on his lap, and hugged him, nuzzling her face into his stubbled cheek before kissing it.

"Later," she said. "When everything's done, we'll make time for this. For real."

His arms squeezed tightly around her. "You won't run."

"I won't." She gasped, remembering. "Would you believe? This whole week, I'm on vacation."

The comment was so ludicrous considering the circumstance that she had to laugh, and he joined her, their amusement bubbling out uncontrollably, fueled by apprehension.

Worst-case scenario, she wouldn't live to enjoy it or she'd spend it attending funerals of people she loved. Best-case scenario, she could spend it camping at one of those sites that she'd gathered brochures on. With Kai. If he liked that sort of stuff. If his coven would give him time off.

"You like hiking?" she asked, when their laughter died down, and his pupils dilated at the same moment that she bit her mouth nervously, because she really didn't know if all that nature stuff was his thing.

"Yeah," he said. Then he kissed her, hungry and possessive, just the way she was starting to like from him, so it was the easiest thing in the world, to trail her fingers around his neck and thread through his hair, opening her mouth in the meantime to let him plunder it.

Her fingers splayed across his chest, enjoying the play of muscles across his shirt as he shifted, pushing her down on the couch. When he lifted the hem of her dress, she made no move to stop him, just squirmed up to get a better view of the stars from the window over his shoulders. He unzipped his pants, his erection already standing fully up to attention, and that was fine, because she was all wet anticipation.

When her lips found his neck, he cursed, and his fingers shoved the crotch of her panties aside, allowing him to enter her in one swift thrust, drawing a moan from her as she licked his earlobe.

"That tickles."

"I know."

He laughed, maintaining his gaze on her face as their bodies moved rhythmically against each other. They were fully clothed, but it didn't stop his hands from slipping under her dress to graze her nipples.

Her eyes were closing, but he said, "Keep 'em open. Want you to see." Then he leaned down, burying his face against her neck, picking up his pace as one hand tightened around a breast, and the other gripped around her hips and ass while he ground harder into her.

"All the ways I'll take you," he groaned. "When we have more time."

Then the windows exploded into a flurry of movement, and through hazy eyes she saw it, a collage of sex, blazing brightly against the darkened canvas of his mind.

 _Their nude bodies entwined in one corner, on the rooftop, tangled web of their magic luminous against a night sky, while he had her pressed against a ledge, thrusting into her from behind, his hands running along her bare back and cupping her ass..._

 _They were in his office at the compound, making use of his large desk, her in a coat and heels and nothing else, seated on the edge with her thighs splayed open, while he was bent between them, half dressed and plunging into her, frenzied, everywhere around them furniture and office supplies mangled or burnt out of shape from magic whipping around the room..._

 _In an enormous tiled bathroom, where a small hurricane seemed to be unfolding, a rainfall of water everywhere and creating a soft fog around their forms, as they levitated several feet above the floor, her legs wrapped around his hips as they bucked wildly into each other, the showerhead, loofahs and bath items floating in the air around them..._

 _On the floor of the living room in his family's cottage, the fireplace flickering behind them as they lay on the rug with his face and one hand buried between her legs while her head bobbed over his groin, an upended tray of food on the table nearby. Interweaving threads of black-gold, silver-blue power cocooned their forms, spiking into a large ball of magic that engulfed them suddenly as she saw their bodies shuddering one after the other..._

A low keen escaped her then, her belly growing taut, and the images outside of the window grew sharper, and she saw in the shower scenario that their naked forms had floated higher, the Kai there tonguing her nipples, and the other version of her tilted her head back in pleasure, wrapping her legs tighter around his wet backside as he plunged more roughly into her-

"God, yes," she whimpered.

On top of her, Kai glanced back, took in what she was seeing, before returning to her face. "Like that?" he grunted, rocking his hips harder, slamming at just the right spot, and when his fingers squeezed her breasts, his tongue finding her nipples and biting through her dress, that taut line broke, and she climaxed, slick, hot, and hard, with his name pouring out between her lips, and her vision growing dim.

"Bonnie," he groaned, his eyes manic as sweat soaked his face, his shirt, and his mouth dropped open, his thrusts slowing. This wasn't real, yet she felt it, his spasm and the result of it warm and wet and shooting deeply inside her.

They lay breathing heavily against each other, her pores sweaty, the rest of her loose-limbed. She was fairly certain she was seeing stars not just outside the window but underneath her lids.

She didn't want to move, ever.

An unbidden thought crossed her brain that almost came stumbling out. Had she just gotten off on watching a sort of sex video montage of them? She kept the thought in, but the answer-YES-had her struggling to hide a smile of embarrassment. He was watching her closely.

"What happened to our magic?" she asked to deflect.

"Dampened it, didn't want it getting in the way." His eyes squinted with smug suspicion. "You carry a lot of freaky in you."

She rolled her eyes; leave it to him to unearth her secret thoughts. "Now I do."

"I'm a good influence."

"Shut up, Kai. Are we square with the plan?"

He smiled suddenly. "Right now, you could tell me to change into a tutu out there and I'd fucking do it in a heartbeat, Bonnie. But you can't be the one to help draw my father out. I'll do it. You should know one key thing. I'm no-"

Angry, she shoved him off to sprawl on the floor, and he was still talking but she could no longer register a word. Her heart swelled with pain and panic. She had fallen for this guy. In every damn way, in two damn days.

 _Way to go, Bonnie._

And he was determined to put himself at risk. It felt like karma, remembering how she used to be when she was with Jeremy and the fights they had over her reckless use of magic. Now, at that moment, she sympathized with his side of the argument.

"Let me out," she said tersely.

"You didn't let me finish."

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say, Kai. Get me the hell out of here."

His jaw clenched then. "Not a good time to shut down, Bonnie," he muttered, magic in his eyes glowing with temper.

" _I'm_ shutting down?" she demanded. "You left me behind when you went after Mickey, even though you promised to take me. Not thrilled with it, but I get why you did that. Now I need you to give me the same courtesy."

Closing the distance between them in two strides, he seared her with his eyes, the look there turning tortured as he stared at her wordlessly for a long moment.

"You won't engage Joshua in a fight?" he finally asked, voice hoarse.

"I can't make that promise." And because he didn't seem satisfied with that answer, she added, "If you and my friends are out of harm's way, my magic won't go haywire. That, I guarantee."

A comment that opened another can of worms entirely, based on how his face lit up.

She racked her brain for something else to fill the loaded silence. "Maybe I'll just punch him in the nose like I did Fiona, when she paid me a not-so-friendly visit at the gazebo earlier."

And he saw through her attempt, she was sure of that, but while his expression turned knowing, his brow lifted. "Seriously? You did that?" Then when she nodded, he let out an exasperated laugh. "Geeze, Bonnie. C'mere."

Engulfing her in a fierce hug, he nearly swallowed her whole in his arms, and the raggedy breath she let out also expelled all of her anger and worry. Wrapped up in him, she could easily feel like everything would work out.

They had a chance here.

"Let Tariq and Noah do the dirty work," he said, his voice a low, intense rumble. "Save all that showy stuff with your magic when you're clearing the lodge with us."

"No," she protested, but he disregarded it, pulling her in.

When they kissed this time, their mouths brushed softly, all the usual heat replaced with something else, a different element altogether that set off a fluttering in her belly, until it rose up and soared out to give her the best kind of hope that she never thought to experience-one that wasn't laced with sorrow or sacrifice, but unadulterated joy.

A second passed where she almost gave voice to it, caught the flash in his gaze that he might be feeling similar, and they both opened their mouths but then at the same time, offered up matching grins.

"You're the most pig-headed person I've ever met," burst out from him, while he wore that unbearably meaningful look that she couldn't tear her eyes away from.

"Just the kind of sweet talk every girl dreams of hearing."

"You've fought me every damn step of the way." Then he nodded, mostly to himself, resignation in the gesture. "Let's do this. Bring your other friends with you when you lure out my father. You leave Tariq and Noah with the hefty spell work. Agreed?"

That instantly brought her back down to earth from the sand castles she'd been ready to build in the air.

"Fine."

The least she could do, considering Kai had really just suggested adding more vampires into the mix inside the reception hall. What a huge turnaround from a mere twelve hours ago.

"I can practically hear the smartass comment waiting to happen," he warned. "Don't push your luck."

"You're wrong, I was just waiting to hear your idea on how to keep them all hidden from your coven." She had also just been wanting to kiss him again, but no need to add that.

"Your veil and my cloaking spells," he answered easily, like he was surprised she hadn't figured it out. Sometimes he could sound like such a superior ass. "Better question would be how we keep them from getting aneurysmed to death by my coven."

This time, she couldn't help throwing a smug look. "I can take care of that."

"Is that so?" he asked, intrigue in his voice. "Love to hear how."

"I set my friends up with shields years ago."

"So I heard. What's that about?"

"Getting mind jacked was sort of a running problem with us," she admitted. "I can reinforce them now, tweak it so it protects them from the aneurysms. They would only feel like mosquito bites in their heads. Itchy, not painful."

When the appreciative gleam in his eyes turned heated, she sprinted out of his reach. "Nuh-uh. No way. We have to go."

But not before he planted another kiss on her that devolved into a quick round of dry humping, their pants and gasps and clothes rustling frantically the only sound in the apartment.

Minutes later, she finally convinced him to bring them out of his mind and back into the hall, and they found Liv antsy to join Tyler as he stood before the cake, but before she could dash off, Kai shared their retooled strategy.

Bonnie struggled not to gawk as the others seemed to accept it, even Caroline and Matt, although both shot her threatening glares when Kai emphasized her promise to leave Noah and Tariq to deal with the Tesseract spell, as soon as her part in luring Joshua away was complete.

It galled her to think how badly they wanted to shuffle her into the corner, even though she rationally knew it stemmed from concern on their end. How many years had she taken point for the group, after all? Now they rallied to someone that could relieve her of that role. Someone capable, and without a history of straining his magic, and okay-she could use a breather, but a part of her resented it, too. She was no damsel-in-distress here, and the last several years her friends had witnessed how hard she'd worked to master her powers.

Where before the problem had been their over-reliance, at a point in her practice of magic where they should've been wary, now it was the opposite. Fully in command of her craft, but facing their skepticism.

She clamped down on the budding resentment. Exhausted, on edge, and wishing for the night to be over wasn't putting her in the best frame of mind. Hadn't she just gained a small victory with Kai finally agreeing not to get in her way? She needed to focus on that.

It was nearly over.

Liv promised to stall the cake-cutting to give Bonnie time to regroup with the new arrivals waiting outside the ward. She was sneaking off to a quiet area so she could port to them when Kai caught up to her, matching her step for step.

"What're you doing now?" she asked, equal parts afraid and eager, expecting him to proposition her for round five.

Running his tongue along his teeth, he shrugged. "Thought you could use some company. The others are keeping an eye on things here. None of us should be going off by ourselves."

The way he said that, and avoided her gaze in the meantime, made her suspicious. He continued looking elsewhere, and they walked silently together until she found a hidden alcove, where he took her hand, lacing their fingers together as threads of his magic coalesced around their forms.

They both dematerialized from the lodge, reappearing on the grounds outside, and a short ways off was the rest of the gang waiting in a rental car.

Kai shifted, but didn't stride forward the way she expected, to take control of the plan like he had inside the hall; confused, she glanced up, caught the blank indifference crossing his features, and it suddenly fell into place-his covert nervousness.

He wanted to meet her friends.

A totally inappropriate giddiness filled her, so out of place with the situation that she struggled a bit, trying not to break out into a grin. But another thought, more sobering, flew through her mind.

Maybe he was just scouting out their threat level. They were vampires and hunters, after all, and his role as coven heir took priority over everything else. That was more likely, she realized. He was looking out for his people. Of course.

When his gaze fell on their joined hands and he seemed to debate whether to let go, she tightened her hold, willing him to meet her eyes and quirking a brow when he did.

She was on the point of asking if he'd even spoken with any of them, or if Caroline and Matt had just been acting as go-between, when the sound of doors slamming reached their ears, and then a gust of wind, with leaves rustling around their feet.

Then-

"Is this the signal?" was the puzzled voice that came from right next to her, and she saw Stefan, familiar furrowed brows roaming her face and form, checking her over automatically for injuries, then sliding over to Kai's with neutral curiosity.

"Kinda lame," said Damon, as he and Elena appeared abruptly beside his brother, more leaves and wind kicking up in their wake. "Expected more fireworks or at least flashy lights, Bon Bon."

Damon had quicker eyes, and when they fell on her and Kai's joined hands, he leveled an unquestionably suspicious stare at Kai, before the vampire looked over to his wife, nudging her subtly, but Elena was rushing over to Bonnie, her face concerned.

"I knew this formal wedding was a bad idea," her best friend muttered, hugging Bonnie. "Something changed, right? Caroline said you didn't even know we were here."

Then the brunette registered not only Kai's presence, but the hand holding, and when her eyes widened, Bonnie stepped away, reluctantly breaking contact with him because this was getting far too awkward.

Kai gave her a rueful smirk. "Do you want to tell them about how stubborn you are, or should I do the honors?" he asked her.

She glared at him.

"You must be Liv's brother," Elena said, the speculative glance she threw between them far too knowing, making Bonnie wonder what else Caroline might have said to the brunette.

"Kia?" piped in Damon.

Bonnie bristled, turning her look of death on the vampire, his flippantly cocked brow all kinds of challenging when he stepped up to Kai.

Kai merely smiled dismissively, as he took in the others gathering around, Alaric and Jeremy now catching up. "Welcome to a Gemini coven wedding," he announced. "Here's hoping you survive."

What the hell?

"Kai," she warned.

"Bonnie, is everyone okay?" Jeremy made his way to her, brown eyes full of worry. "We thought Caroline and Matt would be with you."

"They're fine, Jer. Had some hiccups, but right now everything's good."

The tense line of Jeremy's shoulders-wide and muscular-visibly eased, and he shot her a relieved smile full of affection. Seeing her friends all there gave her so much comfort just then that she returned it without thought, forgetting how that might come across to Kai, until it was too late. When she glanced back at him, lightning flashed warningly in his eyes, magic crackling around his fists.

"Whoa there, sparky," came Damon's murmur.

"Who are you?" asked Jeremy, in his blunt way.

"Don't mind me, I'm just the bouncer," Kai said, aiming for glib, but the storm clouds in his gaze as he looked at the younger man gave Bonnie both a headache and butterflies in her stomach. Completely not the right moment for him to regress to violence again, or for her to find it even remotely appealing.

"Change of plans, Bonnie?" Alaric asked, planting himself between Jeremy and Kai as the other two men sized each other up.

Stefan and Elena moved to join him, forming a barrier almost, while Damon remained where he was, squint-eyed and with a growing smirk on his face.

"Like always," she said. "I'm sorry, guys. We're going to need to you to come in."

"You got it," Jeremy said without hesitation. "What's the situation?"

Kai snorted. "Who are you, G.I. Joe or something?"

Damon broke into a grin. "Well, Bonnie, looks like you've got yourself into a bit of a pickle here."

"Quit it," Elena warned him, before moving towards Jeremy, whispering in his ear, and that seemed to work. Jeremy gave a shrug, half turning away, but his hand briefly touched the crossbow slung over his back, and Bonnie almost gave into an urge to smack him upside his head.

From Kai, she expected the irrational jealousy. From Jeremy, she knew it was nerves. He and Alaric were a well-oiled machine, and she had worked with both, but with Jeremy specifically, for so many years now that she could pinpoint exactly where the rest of his gear was hidden on him. His instincts were probably blaring alarms all over the place. And at this point, picking up on Kai's hostility, Jeremy should've known better than to try to goad the guy.

"Look, we're not entirely sure what you need us to do," Stefan said. "But you're Liv's brother, Tyler's brother-in-law now, and they're both our friends. We're aware of the animosity the Geminis have towards our kind. Just know we don't carry the same towards any of you. Not unless we're provoked."

Damon meandered over, standing shoulder to shoulder with Stefan as he threw Kai a grin filled with bite. "What my brother's trying to say," he said lightly, "is don't piss us off. 'Cause we're just here to help. And check that 'tude at the door because little Gilbert over there's just friends with our Bon Bon, no matter how much he regrets throwing her over for a female Casper a gazillion years ago."

In the wake of that little monologue, the clearing fell silent, descending into tension broken only by the sound of crickets, while her friends-except Elena-aimed a collective narrow-eyed scowl at the man standing beside her.

Sure, yeah, this first meeting was going really well.

Kai gave a long suffering sigh, his hands in his pockets as he cut his eyes to her. "Matt mentioned you're a prickly bunch," he said. "You Salvatore vampires. Not acquainted with every detail of your personal history, but I did some quick digging. You know, force of habit, being Gemini leader and all."

His smirk curved up at one corner in mockery.

"A century and a half old, both of you. How is it, exactly, that you've lived in Mystic Falls as long as you have, with all the talents of speed, strength, and compulsion, and yet somehow managed to hide behind Bonnie all this time?"

The two brothers blinked, nonplussed.

"I'm betting," Kai said, "if I do just a _touch_ more digging, I'll find that one slip of a witch has been behind a lot of the clean-up for your little southern town. And maybe, that you two have been responsible for a few of the messes. Am I right?"

Bonnie couldn't find the words to stop his tirade, which wasn't angry or emotional but utterly calm and dripping with disdain. Just when had he had time to get all this info? She knew he had a security detail, but did he have a group of research witches on the coven payroll as well?

The Salvatores were bristling now, and even Elena was starting to lose some of her native friendliness, as she cast a narrow-eyed look at Kai. Her friend's hand-clenched firmly around Damon's elbow-kept things from spiraling downwards, when Damon twitched a step forward.

"Okay," Alaric said. "How 'bout we keep a cool head here, all of us?"

Jeremy cleared his throat. "What he said," he agreed, throwing a warning glare at Damon when the vampire snorted with disgust. "We're all here to help, not just hide behind Bonnie. Things have changed, your background check is a little outdated. What's our next move?"

Here, Kai aimed his calculating eyes at Jeremy. Bonnie tensed, anticipating another round of verbal castigation from him.

"Bonnie now has a place on the Gemini council," Kai said. "Doesn't mean I asked her to fight my battles for me, but I'm guessing you of all people know how that conversation went."

And they both, with perfect timing, frowned at her with the exact same amount of exasperation, weirding her out completely with how synchronized they were.

"She's working with another elder on taking out our biggest threat-my father." Then he quirked a brow at the rest of the group. "Given how often she's stepped up to bat for all of you, maybe you can finally return the favor. She needs back-up when she lures him out."

"What, hotshot coven leader?" Damon taunted. ""You can't do it yourself?"

"Oh, I tried, old man. This one wants it her way."

Another collective scowl-again with Elena the exception-but this time directed at her, and Bonnie had to explain the device, Tariq and Noah's involvement, and the spell, for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. A thought crossed her mind that this would be so much easier, and quicker, if they had brought walkie-talkies or-

She stopped abruptly, whirling on Kai. "Your telepathic spell," she said. "Can you link to a group of people at the same time? Without needing to jump all the way inside their heads? Just as a way to communicate?"

He nodded. "Do it all the time, when a group of us go on assignments and need to keep radio silence."

"Gee, and you didn't think to apply it here?"

"You tell me, Bon. Your friends don't strike me as the type to be gung-ho with me getting up close and personal like that. We haven't even gone out on a group brunch or anything."

Elena waved his comment away. "Fine by me, whatever makes this easier for everyone." Then she nodded casually at Damon. "Same goes for him."

"Hey now, wait a-"

"Shut up, Damon. You forgot to pay the electric."

A mild, incongruous threat that somehow worked wonders, as Damon, to Bonnie's shock, did exactly that-shut up-but casting a glower up at the sky as he did so.

Stefan nodded his consent as well, quickly followed by Alaric and Jeremy, the latter throwing a searching gaze at Bonnie, before he looked back at Kai. "That device-if it's dangerous to you, will she be at risk also?"

"The way Tariq explained it," Kai said, this time without any hostility in his tone. "The device was set up to hone in on the DNA of anyone bearing traces of Gemini ancestral magic. My father, and myself. Me more than him, at this point."

"His life is linked to his coven's," Bonnie explained. "If Kai gets sucked into the device, and something happens to him on whichever world he ends up, there goes entire families also."

Horror dawned on several faces, while Damon's sharp blue gaze turned disgusted. "Whose bright idea was that? Some coven you've got."

Kai shrugged. "Keeps us in line. Checks and balances, kind of like how vampires can't go sunbathing."

Damon gave a shit-eating grin as he held up a hand, flashing his daylight ring. "Some of us do."

"How nice for you," Kai said in a bored tone, and the air popped with magic then, Damon's ring suddenly vanishing from his finger, as instantly as the grin he'd just worn.

"The hell-"

Kai held up the ring in his hand, studying it with one squinted eye. "Hmm, looks kinda fragile. My grandma would've liked it." Then he winked at Bonnie, before smiling innocently up at the offended vampire. "But to each his own."

Before she could utter another threat his way, the ring reappeared with another pop of magic back on Damon's hand. "Ow," Damon said, pulling with effort on the ring now stuck on one large thumb. "Wrong finger, jack ass."

"Sorry," Kai said, sounding anything but.

Jeremy and Stefan both appeared to be failing at holding back a grin, and even Alaric was studying the group of trees behind Damon with intense concentration. Elena didn't bother hiding it-she chortled away, earning a look of betrayal from her husband while she tossed a smile of approval in Bonnie's direction.

"When this is all over," she whispered, softly squeezing her arms. "You and I have serious catching up to do."

Bonnie gave a cross between a scoff and a chuckle, tension leaking out of her form. "You have no idea. It'll take hours."

"I'll bring a lot of snacks."

"And wine?"

"Barrels," Elena promised, giving Bonnie a fond smile, which petered out quickly when the men began discussing formation, and Damon and Jeremy started arguing over who went where, and they joined the discussion, if only to break up the bickering and keep Kai from magically sealing the two men's mouths closed, like his expression was blatantly broadcasting.

Several minutes later, leaving the clearing saturated fully with her and Kai's magic as the result of several potent spells, they returned back to the reception. She and Kai reappeared in the hallway, and just before they passed through the main entrance arch, he pulled on her hand.

"Don't break your promise to me, okay?" he reminded her.

"You mean don't be like you?"

His agitation was immediate and complete, for a long stretch of seconds, before he gulped it down and pasted on what looked like a forced smile. "Yeah, basically."

She softened, and couldn't help caving in to the urge from earlier, so drew up and instigated a kiss, cupping his jaw on both sides, keeping the hold even when she pulled back and looked up at him.

"You're a much better person than me, Bonnie. Higher standards to meet."

She read the silent plea in his gaze. "I'll be careful. You, too."

Inside, the hall buzzed with meandering energy, the kind that signaled people were ready to leave and rest or keep partying elsewhere. Most the guests were now clustered around the small table where Liv and Tyler were being photographed standing near the tiered cake.

Kai's excitement grew at the sight of the enormous creation, which was too pretty to eat in Bonnie's opinion, but obviously he had other thoughts, his eyes growing round, and she shook her head in amusement, imagining how he must've been as a boy.

The wrong thought to have just then, one that caused her throat to tighten, followed by her chest, because with the kind of childhood he'd had, how was it even possible that he could retain such a boyishness to him? Even worse, how could his own parents have ever shut him out with such inhumanity? Quarantining their own child, raising him on the dregs of their attention, like he all he'd been worthy of was their loathing and fear.

Her eyes stung. Redirecting, she cast a look around, and when she found Joshua Parker, he was staring right at her, a chilly smile in place, before he moved on to Kai.

Instinctively, she stepped closer to him. She didn't care anymore who the hell was watching. Her hands found his, and this time it was her entwining their fingers, gripping tightly. His brows rose, and he grinned back at her, leaning in slightly.

Meanwhile, Liv and Tyler moved closer to their cake, ready to cut.

"Forgot to ask, but it's Damon, right?" Kai whispered.

"Damon what?"

"The one that I kill in the other world, you know, with the overexposure to sun?"

"Why would you bring that up now?" she muttered.

"He gets me back, too," he reminded, sticking his tongue out and miming chopping his own head.

"Stop," she hissed.

His gaze turned warm. "Gives me nice fuzzies to know you care."

"I do," she whispered, meeting his eyes squarely. "A whole damn lot."

Which left him speechless, while his face turned delighted, and he turned fully to her, his fingers brushing over her knuckles as he took a deep breath-

"Hey, I just got a text from Stefan," cut in Caroline's voice, at the worst moment. Bonnie was close to throttling her friend for her timing, until she realized that this wasn't precisely the right time, either, for whatever it was she and Kai were doing.

Meeting the right person at the wrong moment, summed up their story.

This time he exhaled in clear irritation, his eyes intensely locked on hers, but he was the first to turn away, and let her and Caroline fine tune everything once more. Bonnie knew it was necessary, her blonde friend hated all of the revisions and she had no organizer to base anything off with this plan of theirs, no lists to expand on, which must have just killed her.

When he leaned in again, his voice in her ear was an intimate caress, that belied his all-business message. "I just added Tariq and Noah into the mental link."

"Just now?" she turned her face towards his. Other eyes focused on them then, because at this point they were just being greedy and reckless, letting their skin graze each other, and their gazes linger. But she couldn't stop.

"Mmm. Mega powerful, remember?"

She smiled, rolling her eyes. He tilted his head at just the right angle where it would've been so easy to close the few inches and brush his mouth with hers.

"I can include Matt and Caroline, too." His eyes dropped to her lips. "Liv and Tyler after they finish the cake-cutting."

"Sure," she said, dimly registering that her friends needed to be warned Kai was going to start talking inside their heads soon.

But she made no move to turn to them. Kai was still staring at her mouth. Bonnie heard throats clearing around them, saw that one of them was Matt, and she blinked to dispel the growing fog in her mind, drawing away from Kai.

Just then, the crowd around them erupted into laughter. Tyler, up front, was rubbing a smudge of cake on Liv's face, her outrage obvious.

Beside her, Caroline giggled, and even Matt worked his mouth into a grin. Bonnie laughed, which grew when Liv returned the favor and mashed the rest of the cake into Tyler's face.

She felt it then, a sense of calm, that they were in the clear and finally, their luck had shifted, things weren't going to end badly. She glanced up, eager to share a smile with Kai, but the look he wore crushed her hopes just then.

His face was verging on murderous, his magic spiking dangerously, his glance moving between his father and Tyler. Something was off, she realized, her scan picking up traces of magic all around Tyler all of a sudden.

Kai stepped forward then, yelling her friend's name in warning-

She heard screams. Liv's the loudest, as she rushed towards Tyler, her features horrified and panicked. Bonnie tried to move forward, but the others in the crowd pressed against her, trapping her. Some of those running away included a handful of children, being ushered off by fearful parents.

Bonnie felt a step behind everyone, she only had a view of Tyler's face, his mouth formed into an 'O' of shock. Then he stumbled, right onto the cake, toppling it and himself on the ground.

She pushed past the others in her way, just in time to see one of the Parker siblings materialize beside her friend, pushing the red Alchemist stone into his chest.

Right where his heart should be.

Bonnie couldn't breathe.

"My sister can't help you now, werewolf!"

She didn't even know his name, only knew he was one of Liv's brothers, the asshole one that Tyler nicknamed Draco Malfoy. His hand was up and out, Liv frozen in place by a spell of his doing.

"Get away from them, Geoff!" Kai said, fury lacing his voice. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Me? What am I doing? What are _you_ doing? How could you let Liv marry this-this _thing_?"

Geoff indicated to Tyler, now writhing in pain and contorted on the floor. Bonnie knew the signs. Pupils enlarged, irises glowing gold. He was transforming.

"He's a goddamn werewolf, everyone!" announced Geoff, standing and waving his arms behind him. Faces all around them registered fear, some loathing, others just stuck on shock. "Liv went to Mystic Falls and got herself a new pet. Who even knows if he's house trained?"

"F-fuck you," growled Tyler, his voice deeper, lower, and no longer quite human sounding.

Liv was struggling to break the hold. Livid, Bonnie cut her eyes at Geoff, and he flew backwards in the air, pinned by her magic against the wall.

People screamed-the human guests and the caterers and staff, mostly-running for cover under this unexpected, inhuman show of power. On the second floor balcony, the band members scuttled away, tripping over their equipment and instruments, a resounding crash trailing behind their escape. Tendrils of magic wove through the air, settling over the helpless, and they shimmered briefly, then disappeared, and that magic reached Bonnie, familiar and potent and lending an aged cast to its essence.

Maggie. She was keeping up her end of the plan. Bless the woman.

All around her surged unfamiliar waves of power. Bonnie didn't turn to deflect any attacks, merely closed her eyes, letting loose with a protective ward that wrapped around Tyler, Liv, Matt, Caroline, and herself. Kai stepped nearer to its edge, and she expanded its walls to include him, as he held his hands up.

Rachel, Jo, and his other siblings made a move to try to keep him back, but he shrugged off their attempts.

"Kai, don't!" warned one of his other brothers-Dex, Bonnie remembered his name distantly. Hopefully he didn't just look like Kai, but acted like him, and not like Geoff.

"She won't hurt us," Kai reassured. "She's not our enemy. Bonnie. We can sort this out. Tyler won't die."

"No," she agreed. "He'll just transform and tear his way through the lodge." Then she cast a hateful glare at Geoff and Joshua. "Exactly what those two want."

The other Geminis had taken up defensive stances, spirals of power wavering over their forms, their eyes looking between Joshua and Kai for direction.

Maggie remained in the back, but her magic blossomed out once more, ancient and powerful. In a corner of her mind, Bonnie realized the old lady had been thorough. She didn't see any children at all in the hall, either.

"I don't advise attacking Miss Bennett," came the cool, elegant voice. "Heed Malachai's words. She is not your enemy."

"She was harboring a werewolf in our midst," Joshua said, his tone mournful. "How can she be anything otherwise?"

He stepped towards Geoff, murmuring under his breath to break Bonnie's hold on his son, but she was too enraged now. With a lash of power, Joshua fell under her grip also, but instead of pinning him to the wall she threw him across the room to land on the dais the Parkers had occupied, glasses and plates shattering to the floor when the force of his landing upended the long table.

The other Geminis turned murderous looks her way, and one by one, the other Parker siblings approached her ward, magic bursting into angry fits around them, except for Jo, who took out a pair of mini cross bows strapped to her legs underneath her dress.

Great.

"I take it you're not accepting the seat on our council?" asked Althea Crux coldly. Beside her were her two daughters, Alison's face confused, while Alanis's features were a cross between vindication and fear.

Bonnie almost laughed. "Never said that. But no way in hell I'll join the council if Joshua's still running this ship. He'll just sink it."

"Bonnie, stop." Kai strode forward. She froze him on the spot, as she looked for Tariq and Noah. They stood off to the side, their attention on Joshua as they neared him.

Behind them, Fiona had stood as well, her face contorted in anger.

Bonnie's magic rushed out to keep the woman from attacking her friends, but just then Kai broke her hold, then grabbed her hands. "You're not thinking straight," he said in a low tone. "Stick to the plan."

The plan had just been flushed down the toilet. Tyler screamed, an inhuman sound that rent the air, and a series of cracking and crunching sounds followed. Fire filled her vision, and the lights in the room flickered wildly.

Liv, Caroline, and Matt were crouched beside Tyler, Liv murmuring. The red stone flew out of his chest. Bonnie shook off Kai's hands, twitching her fingers, and the stone shot into her hands.

"What kind of brother stabs his sister's new groom at the reception?" she asked Geoff, still pinned in place. "Should I let him return the favor and chew on you a little once he goes full wolf? Maybe then you'll find out if he's housetrained."

Geoff spit at her, but it landed harmlessly on her ward.

"You're no real Bennett," he said. "Your grandmother's turning over in her grave."

Bonnie laughed. "You don't know anything about Grams. But I know for a fact you wouldn't even register on her radar. You're a pathetic excuse for a witch. I'm barely expending any effort on my spell to keep you in place, but you can't even break my hold. Most kids would've done it in less than a minute. Your brother did it in two seconds."

She kept a furtive watch on Tariq and Noah, Luke now also hovering near them, as all three approached Joshua, offering to help him up, but the man had covered his face in his hands, waving them away.

The other Geminis watched the men in confusion, their magic flickering in and out of activity.

 _Dammit. Hurry up._

"We don't have long," Liv muttered. "Two minutes, before the transformation's complete."

"That navigation spell," Bonnie said. "You're going to need it."

Liv nodded.

"Can you handle it?" asked Caroline.

The blonde witch's tear-streaked face turned determined. "I'll have to."

"I have a ward up in my room," Bonnie said. "Go there. I don't know how Kai got out, but it holds up from the outside in."

"What is this?" Kai demanded. What navigation spell?"

But there was no time to explain to him. Liv murmured under her breath, disappearing from the crowd of now-frantic Geminis.

"What did you to Liv?" demanded an elder.

"She left to find a way to help fix this mess," Matt answered. "Bonnie didn't do anything. If you all calm down-"

"We aren't the ones pinning people to walls and throwing them around," Alanis said. "I'd say we're pretty calm compared to your friend."

"Bonnie Bennett is a threat to our coven," Fiona said, stepping up beside Alanis, who cast her a doubtful glance. "She attacked me earlier also."

Kai scoffed. "Right, because you're not the type to provoke people at all. You didn't do anything to earn getting punched in the nose?"

Her face briefly turned ugly, to Bonnie's shock, as the woman's hateful glare turned to him. "You're thinking with the wrong head, Kai."

He merely laughed, tossing a disgusted, dismissive wave of his hands at her. "Good time for me to share what you and your family are up to, I guess. Where's Richard and Clarice, anyone see them? No?" He smiled coldly out at the others. "Oh, right. Richard's in hiding, and Clarice is being held at the compound, for killing five innocent caterers, all in the name of a black magic possession ritual."

He turned back to Bonnie, his eyes whirling with magic, the storm inside them howling for release. "They needed Bennett blood, of course. So they stabbed Bonnie for it."

Now the other Gemini witches faltered in their collective animosity. Several elders turned to Joshua, but he calmly joined Fiona and Alanis, patting Alanis on her shoulder, before striding angrily towards Bonnie, barging into her shield. "Put your ward down and face us like a real witch, you Judas."

Kai stepped between them. "You proud of yourself?" he demanded of his father. "Look what you've done. Another wedding ruined."

"Malachai, I need you to break her hold over you. She's our foe, she means our coven harm."

"Don't fucking put the blame on Bonnie, don't even talk about her."

Joshua didn't answer him, but turned a mournful gaze to his coven. "As you see, Bonnie's ensnared my son as well. There's no limit to the harm she's done. She's fooled us all. And Malachai is in her thrall. Mickey Wallingsford was working with the Vansels to lift whatever spell she's clearly using on my son." He shrugged. "There was collateral damage, unfortunately. Malachai killed Mickey, under Bonnie's orders."

Kai turned a desperate look her way, then. Joshua had outplayed him-both of them. How neatly he'd set this all up.

Behind her, Tyler's distorted form, elongated and bent out of human recognition, grew layers of hair, and his fingers and toes stretched longer, claws forming. His head shot up, his gold iris stare bright and losing recognition of his environment.

"B-Bahn-" he growled. "Get wayy."

She glared at Tariq, Luke, and Noah, the latter stepping forward in one last gamble then, his hand on Joshua's arms.

"Dad, look out!" yelled Geoff, and when Joshua turned, it was in time to catch Tariq's cane spinning, a portal opening under his magic. Luke's powers sailed in an arc, gripping his father.

"What are you doing?" Joshua demanded. "Have you three turned also?"

Geoff suddenly demolished Bonnie's grip, his eyes turning amber, serpent-like threads of viscous dark magic erupting from his form. He seemed like a completely different person, as his hand raised, his menacing voice uttering commands in a language Bonnie knew wasn't Latin or from any of the nature-based practices. Luke's hands shot out, magic stabbing towards Geoff, and he reeled from one hit, then shot both his hands up towards the trio.

Tariq's portal closed as he went on defense, spinning his cane and shooting bulletlike spirals at Geoff, but he twisted his hand, and the spell careened back against the men, only Geoff added coiling dark threads of his own power to it.

Luke managed to duck, but Tariq and Noah grabbed their heads, shouting in agony, blood trickling out of their noses.

It fell into place. Mickey had clearly found an apprentice to wield black magic as ably as he had. Geoff.

She whipped a hand out, trying to deflect the attack but Geoff shook it off, his gaze one of pure loathing as he stalked towards Noah.

Abruptly, Fiona ran towards her brother, throwing a hand up towards Geoff as she stood in front of Noah. "Don't hurt him!" she yelled, creating a small barrier between them and Geoff.

Geoff slapped her away, magic careening her up hard against a column, and she slumped on the ground, unconscious.

Kai's magic spiraled outwards, whipping Geoff up and away on the fury of a super-cell storm. He lunged out to his brother, leaving the ward. Bonnie's healing spell arched outwards, finding their targets, and the blood streaming from Noah and Tariq slowed to a stop.

Alison Crux broke away from her mother and sister, joining Luke to help Tariq and Noah to their feet.

"Bonnie is our ally," Tariq's voice echoed around the room, grumbling. "Joshua and his cohorts. Steeped in black magic."

"Those aren't grounds to start a war within our coven," Althea retorted. "I fail to see how Bonnie with her werewolf and vampire allies can be ours as well. Alison, get away from them."

Torn, she looked between Tariq and Noah, then her mother, and Alison grabbed her sister, her eyes cautious as she dragged them both away from the two opposing sides, coming to a stop near Maggie.

"What're you doing, Alison?" her sister demanded.

"Waiting until we get real answers."

"Wise child," the older woman said, surrounding them both in a shimmering cocoon.

Althea's powers coiled up, erratic, and Maggie held up a warning hand. "I strongly suggest you stand down, Althea. Your track record against me isn't in your favor."

"Mom, stop," Alison said. "There's something clearly not kosher about any of this. I won't fight if I don't know who the true enemy is."

"It's there!" Joshua shouted, pointing to Caroline.

Her friend whirled around, trying to hide her face.

"Bonnie," she gasped, but it was too late, the black veins around her eyes and sharpened fangs noticed by several people in the crowd. There had been too much blood from Tariq and Noah both, and as much self-control as Caroline had, this time it wasn't enough.

"She's a vampire!" Joshua yelled, enraged. "Do you need any more proof of what kind of threat Bonnie is? No Bennett has ever managed to sneak vampires and werewolves inside Gemini inner sanctums. She's gotten three of my children to turn against me, and now some of our friends. Take. Her. Out!"

That did it. The barely leashed mystical energies boiling just under the surface bubbled up, breaking the surface of the air and the entire hall erupted into a riotous torrent of magic then, spiraling, spiking, menacing waves of colors lashing against the protective bubble around Bonnie and the gang. Power converged, some of them forming into weapons-a hammer, chains, a mace ball-all crackling with mystical energy when they crashed into her shield.

Arches came apart, the walls cracked, and the ground reverberated under the manic release of magic. The place would fall apart soon.

Kai was still chasing Geoff around the hall, both of them throwing spells at each other, breaking off more pieces of columns and light fixtures, tossing mangled iron railings at each other. In the back, Maggie and Alison used their powers to catch pieces that hurled towards the crowd, tossing them harmlessly to the side.

Then Kai let loose with another current of power, tearing off a portion of the roof from the hall, and Geoff went flying out, careening wildly. Kai's form dissipate in a violent chaotic storm as he went to follow Geoff.

As Bonnie struggled to hold her ward up, she at least gained comfort from seeing him maintaining the upper hand against his dick brother.

Off to the side, Luke, Tariq, and Noah formed their own group against other coven witches attacking them, Joshua among them, the broken lines of his power renewed to vigor under the influence of his rage.

"I knew I couldn't trust you-you and your brother, both of you abominations in different ways!"

"Oh, put a sock in it already," Luke retorted. "Your spiels are getting tired. Find new ones."

"You're no son of mine."

"So I've been hoping, but unfortunately Mom was pretty faithful to your ignorant ass."

Alanis rushed towards them, her face frantic. "We can't keep fighting amongst ourselves!"

Only to get zinged by a lash of power from one elder, and when she dropped, Alison screamed in anger, rushing out from Maggie's side with a wild sweep of magic that pushed the other coven witches off their feet.

More currents battered Bonnie's ward, and it started to buckle.

"It's not gonna hold up," she whispered to Caroline and Matt, sweating as she poured more of her magic to reinforce the walls.

"Well, good news is, I think Liv's spell is working," Matt said.

She managed a quick glance at Tyler in full wolf form, pacing around their circle and growling randomly at the witches beyond his reach. If Liv wasn't in control, Tyler would've probably been halfway done chewing on her just then.

Their magical onslaught was too much for her ward. She hadn't built it using Expression, had been trying her damn best not to tap into it, for her friends' peace of mind. For Kai's. For hers.

But it was no use.

 _*Bonnie, I'm coming. Don't engage them!*_

 _*I have to, Kai. I'm sorry.*_

 _*No, just keep the shield up another couple seconds!*_

 _*We won't kill anyone.*_

 _*No! Maintain your shield! The rest of you, get in there!*_

 _*No need to tell us twice.* -_ and that voice, flippant and drawling and eager to unleash violence, was a welcome sound to Bonnie.

 _*Damon, disable only. Got it?* -_ she had to remind him in case he decided to fake amnesia.

 _*Yeah, yeah. Can we at least get a snack? I'm hungry.*_

Familiar tendrils appeared then, blue and silver whorls of power wrapped around five figures materializing in the back of the room. Caroline let out a yelp of relief, disappearing herself in a gust of speed. In another moment, a blur of movement tore through the witches surrounding Bonnie and her friends.

Joshua rallied his coven, and a burst of concentrated magic erupted out, stalling her friends momentarily, bringing them to their knees when the effects of an aneurysm spell pulsed out. But Bonnie's mental shields kicked in, protecting the vampires from the worst of the effects, and soon her four friends rose from their crouches, Damon 's fangs glinting sharply and Stefan and Elena glowering out with blackened veins stark around their eyes. Caroline tossed her hair back, licking one long canine.

"That all you got?" she taunted.

Behind them, Alaric and Jeremy strode up, taking point with a pair of crossbows held out. Bonnie squinted, eyeing the tips coated with something shiny and wet.

*Morphine.* - Jeremy's voice came through clear in her head.

She smiled in relief, and he winked at her, before he let loose a flurry of arrows, Alaric right alongside him. Their marks landed with precision on several different arms and legs belonging to Gemini witches, all of them dropping shortly to the ground, unconscious.

A disarming spell rushed out towards the pair of hunters, but Bonnie flung a hand out, a barrier hovering over their forms, and the coils of magic collided against the makeshift shield. The two men vaulted up and out, disappearing into the fray.

Damon grinned at her, then nodded to the other three vampires. As one they bared their fangs, the four blurring out of sight, their frenzied speed tearing around the room.

Sometimes, it was nice to have friends.

* * *

A/N: Hi, guys. Thanks for your patience. Meant to have this out sooner, but August started off hectic, and then this chapter got crazy bloated, so I had to take out the last third (part of next chapter). Had to backtrack when the chapter started, realized there were some Bonkai interactions (including mind sex haha) that were needed, before all hell broke loose.

Thanks for the feedback once again-I appreciate all your input, I read every one of them, whether it's one line or twenty. You guys are awesome. Hope you like the action-more to come next chapter. These scenes are hard as heck, and I welcome any critiques. :)

Also, next update will likely be Bound, FYI. I've been interchanging stories so I don't lose momentum.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N:** Howdy. Well, this month is insane. Life is totally hectic, but even if I'm a little late, I would never abandon this story. This one is roughly 4 chapters away from done. And I plan to finish Bound, too. Although this week it won't get an update because it's seriously hectic (work, family, school coming up-ack, a lot of you are probably in the same boat lol). But I'll be back next week with Ch 31 and the next Bound chapter. ;)

Thanks again for the reviews, guys!

 _CHAPTER THIRTY_

He hated witch fights, even more than he did vampire battles, because at least those were somewhat predictable. They sped, they bit, they showed off strength, and most of the time, left a body on the floor, if not dead, then bleeding out, waiting for either the ambulance or a vampire ally to come along and offer blood to heal. Or, if one was lucky enough to have another witch for a friend, wait for them to arrive and offer mystical band aids.

Matt eyed Bonnie now, her wary eye on the enormous wolf pacing around the ward with them. Tyler once in a while howled, jumping against the force field, desperate to join the fight as their four vampire compadres cut a swath through the crowd, tossing people against the walls, knocking them out. The ones who remained awake, gearing up for another assault, met with Jeremy and Alaric, running along the sides with their crossbows, witches dropping like flies from their unerring aim and sedative-tipped arrows.

Flames lit up one of the drapes, chasing a path towards Caroline and Stefan, setting them briefly on fire before the old woman and Alison Crux waved their hands out. Quickly, the flames died down, his friends regrowing skin and hair instantly.

Alaric had left them behind, outmaneuvering the fire, and he met up with one of the Parkers, the one who didn't have magic, but armed with a set of mini crossbows. But she didn't have hunter reflexes and by the time Matt saw her pull the trigger, Alaric's arrow was already embedded on her shoulder. She gave him the finger as she dropped, but Alaric caught her, easing her gently on the floor, his friend's face slightly amused, before moving on.

Damon, Elena, and Jeremy worked the other side of the room, the pair of vampires tackling Joshua and the rest of the Parker siblings, only to be thrown back by a concussive blast of a spell that rearranged their features. It looked terrifying and painful, their noses completely bent almost off the side of their faces. Tariq and Noah appeared from out of thin air, helping the vampires, schooling their features back to normalcy.

Behind them, Jeremy vaulted up, one of his modified toys strapped to his arm, a reflective elbow guard that shined briefly, absorbing the spell thrown by another Parker.

A millisecond later, the same spell shot back out from Jeremy's armor. The Geminis reacted too slow, throwing up their own shield only halfway, before they went flying.

It went on like this for a while, Geminis working in tandem, targeting his friends, but their aim landed wide, thwarted either by hunter reflex, vampire speed, or intercepted by a counter spell from their allies.

The walls and the floors soon grew pock-marked and smoky, taking hits from missed spells or dented from objects being flung around.

In the chaos of the moment, Matt could still appreciate the little things that were going their way. The old woman in the back, Alison, Tariq, and Noah-established Geminis-their aid went a long way to staving off his inner panic.

He hoped Bonnie felt the same, but when saw her close her eyes, gritting her teeth, he knew she was struggling. She was probably low on her other form of magic, now fighting Expression breaking free. He could tell she wasn't holding on to much optimism here.

As if on cue, a spell sailed over their heads, setting fire to the curtains on the balcony windows, and it spread wildly, taking on the shape of a three-headed dog.

Jaw agape, Matt traced the source of the spell to a tall old man fighting beside Joshua. His hand twisted, and the dog ran after Stefan, with the speed to match the vampire. Black threads soon found the hell dog, though, and forming a fist, crushed the shape of its fires in a merciless grip.

Matt watched the familiar threads retreat, disappearing back into their circle, into Bonnie.

This was why he hated witch fights with a passion. Nothing about them was predictable.

Tyler turned, padded up to Bonnie, his growls dying down, and in the eerie amber glow of his friend's eyes, Matt couldn't find comfort, but the witch seemed to.

They both wanted to go berserk, Matt realized. Liv's control held Tyler's true beast at bay, while nothing stood between Bonnie and her Expression but her will. Matt trusted her, had known for years now that she wasn't at the mercy of her powers, but they hadn't seen a battle like this in a while, and he wasn't the type to trust blindly in luck.

He watched her carefully as she crouched, reaching out a hand, petting Tyler's fur, her gaze taking in the warzone around them.

Alanis still lay dazed on the ground nearby, unprotected, and Bonnie's hands twitched. The other witch slid inside the confines of the force field. Alanis fluttered her eyes briefly, giving a small nod to Bonnie in acknowledgement.

Tariq had also made his way inside the ward, his cane twirling effortlessly and with almost hypnotic rhythm. The shield around them flickered brightly. He felt a moment of relief, having an extra layer of protection that wasn't reliant on Bonnie using Expression.

While he continued darting around within its confines, his taser dropped several witches who came too close and lacked attention to detail. Or were just arrogant. A harmless human swimming in a sea of supernaturals didn't always mean chopped liver. He caught a witch mid-spell, knocking the man out, but not before his magic seared the gun, and it started smoking. Matt dropped it, hissing at the blisters forming on his hand.

A small thread of magic wove around his hand, the source of it from Alanis, who now watched guardedly from where she crouched on the floor. His hand healed, as a new gun reappeared. He sent a small grin to Alanis before resuming his guard.

* * *

His father approached again, this time with a large cluster of witches surrounding his form, including-Luke realized with dismay-most of his siblings, a protective circle of their own encasing them. Bonnie's vampire friends collided repeatedly against it, only to be thrown back, flames running quickly along their forms. Noah rushed to them, sleek green tails of his magic soared out, winding like snakes along them, chasing away the fire.

Busy fending off counterattacks, Luke spared his siblings a quick glare, but only Dex seemed to catch it.

"You're on the wrong side, bro!" his brother called.

"Am I? Kai's on my team, you're on dad's-and Geoff's. Might wanna rethink!"

Which served its purpose, his brother's face falling. One thing he knew, Dex had always idolized Kai to some degree, even at their oldest brother's worst phase in life. Luke had heard stories, but only truly picked up on it in the last few years, because while he himself hadn't been old enough to catch it back when Kai was full jerk, Dex's clear idolizing was only too obvious after Kai returned.

But while whatever metamorphosis Kai had undergone turned him less of a shit, Geoff had clearly gone the other way. Geoff, who had lorded it over them as Dad's junior the years Kai was gone, and it never failed to amaze Luke how that happened, the kind of bullying that Geoff liked to indulge in that Dex seemed to allow. He let it roll off his own back, once his powers manifested and he used them to kick Geoff's ass six ways from Sunday.

Geoff was weak. Had been, at least.

Now he had black magic, thanks to Mickey.

 _*How's it going out there?*_ he sent it out to Kai, hoping Geoff was already down for the count.

 _*Busy. Geoff's flinging half the forest at me.*_

Luke bit back on a surge of irritation, his eyes finding his father. This entire thing was a mess because of him. His hands itched, but before he could throw a paralysis spell out at the old man, Luke spied an army of broken debris flying towards Bonnie's friends, and his magic flicked out, halting the objects mid-air from landing on the younger man wielding crossbows.

Hunters, Luke remembered. Liv had mentioned Bonnie knew a few of them. It was his first time seeing them in action, and his first time thinking that maybe he'd been too hard on their class of skills. For a while there, he'd laughed them off as Buffy-lite.

This one now, moved like a whirlwind the entire time throughout the room. Not a vampire, but just incredibly fast, beyond basic human limits. But once the encircled Geminis had gotten near Bonnie and her ward, the other man had stilled, studying the field around Joshua and his group.

"Jeremy!" From across the room, the other hunter yelled, "Five o'clock! Go low!"

Jeremy dropped and spun in one fluid movement, twisting his torso with a hand out, still gripping his weapon. An iron bar embedded itself hard into the column that just moments ago, Jeremy had stood in front of. A yard away, another of his arrows found its aim, the witch who sent the sharp bar toppling to the floor, gripping his injured thigh.

His father's murderous glare at Jeremy didn't seem to make any impression, the younger man returning to his study of the circle protecting the Geminis. Joshua's hands twitched, and the crossbows Jeremy held disappeared. With another twitch, he flew up and sailed through the air, but moments before his body made what would've been a back-breaking impact he used the momentum to rotate mid-air and push off with his feet against the ledge, rolling forward and landing neatly on his feet in a crouch, not even pausing before he was off and running.

Boy was a pro with Parkour and the Olympic gymnast moves, Luke noted. His father had no damn idea what he was dealing with.

Luke was a married man, happily so, enough that he'd forced Ben onto the sidelines, terrified he'd get hurt in the crossfire and porting him out with the others earlier, with Maggie. Ben had only agreed because the children needed a skilled warlock to play defense over their group, as a safe guard. That was the only thing that worked to keep Ben away from the fight.

But if Luke was honest, five years ago, pre-Ben, if he had witnessed Jeremy's moves, he would've definitely been intrigued.

And apparently, so was Bonnie. Jeremy flashed a quick grin at her while he flew by, and now Luke sensed history there. She gave a coy smile to his father, magic sparking out black and menacing from beneath her fingers.

The shield around Joshua's group flickered dimly in response, its occupants suddenly turning nervous.

"Yeah, that's me," she called. "Why don't you guys quit playing games? Let's talk this out like grownups."

Abruptly, the Geminis in his father's camp all went still and quiet. Joshua's eyes closed, the air surrounding them pulsing in a familiar way. He was communicating with his coven, Luke realized, sensing the same threads of the spell that Kai had used earlier to link their group. In some ways, the two really were disturbingly alike.

The thought chipped away at Luke. And he realized, following its thread, that he could understand some of Geoff's motivation now. The desperate need to prove that he was as good as Kai, that he was the one who deserved the real title of heir. That he, too, could be like Joshua. Why Geoff would want to be was beyond Luke's grasp. But anyone with a brain could see that Kai was the apple that had fallen closest to that particular tree, and his oldest brother had put in a lot of effort trying to create distance.

Thinking back to the last few years, it was now clear to him how unhappy Geoff had been since Kai's return.

A weakness that their father, quick to smell blood, had honed in on and been too fucking quick to exploit.

Who knew what other kind of ace his father held up his sleeve? Or how many?

A growl erupted out. Gulping down his misgiving, Luke noticed Tyler's hackles rise, fangs bared at the Geminis not too far away, their eyes all turning milky. Even Dex, who had apparently gotten over his brief conflict there.

Luke fought from sending his brother a mystical slap upside the head. His attention went to Bonnie instead, her hand on Tyler's flank. She looked on the verge of slapping the wolf, encouraging his bloodlust. Luke almost shrank away, expecting Tyler to spring out and attack.

Bonnie's eyes went up, her face a conflicted study of worry, hope, and distress, and Luke knew he'd been wrong earlier, about her and the young hunter. This girl was all about Kai.

She searched for his brother through the tattered remains of the roof above.

All it offered were distant eruptions of magic in the sky.

 _*How's it going out there?*_ \- Bonnie's voice on the link was miraculously even, despite the look she wore just then.

 _*Be there in a jiff, Bon. Geoff's gotten a tiny bit better putting up a fight.*_

 _*He's kicking your ass, isn't he?*_

 _*That's no way to support your new man, Bonnie.*_ \- Damon tossed aside the witch currently trying to paralyze Alaric, glancing around easily before finding his next opponent.

 _*Shut up, Damon.*_ \- Elena redirected her kick, sending the witch across the room to land on Damon, but he was back up a heartbeat, grinning at his wife mischievously.

Luke wasn't sure he liked this Damon, but anything snarky he couldn't help finding favor with.

Just when he decided goading Kai was the best way to get him riled up enough to take it out on Geoff, a distraction came in the form of an elder, wild-eyed and even wilder-aimed. The spell she sent towards Elena ricocheted thanks to Luke's effort, but he misjudged and it landed on him.

His legs snapped and crunched, and pain had him shouting, turning with a grimace to get away from the other witch.

The same elder whose vacation condo he'd approved for mystical reinforcements just weeks ago, at the last grievancy council. He himself had personally cast the wards over her new home.

"Betsy," he said. "This any way to say thanks?"

One of the vampires rushed over, elbowing the witch in the face and knocking her out, then speeding Luke towards the shield. The vampire ripped into his wrist, offering blood, but within the safety of the ward, Luke could now focus long enough to use a healing spell to mend some of the bones. He tried to clamp down on more facial expressions of pain, not liking the expression on Bonnie's face as she watched.

She was observant, and he was nearing burnout. Unlike her, he didn't have Expression to draw from.

"No more," Bonnie said to him, but he only glowered.

"We'll see."

She scowled back, and in milliseconds black tendrils wrapped over his legs. He saw it then, the way she closed her eyes, relishing in Expression. Overlapping lines connected between them and her hands reached out, deftly pulling at one thread here, another one there, sending waves along the manipulated chords, reaching all the way to Luke, beneath his skin, and muscle, repairing the cracks in his femoral bones.

Wide-eyed, the pain erased completely from his body, Luke only blinked back. "Good looking out," he said faintly, then sent a look to the vampire beside them, whose brow grew ever more pronounced as he approached Bonnie carefully.

* * *

"Okay," Stefan said soothingly. "Bonnie, convenient as it is to draw from your Expression, maybe you shouldn't keep-"

"Stefan, if you finish that sentence," Bonnie cut in sweetly, with the best smile she could summon in light of the shit flying around their heads, "I'll turn you straight-up bald."

Only to be shocked, when he didn't close his mouth, didn't even blink. "Matt, finish my sentence for me."

But her other long time friend could only manage a half growl, still occupied knocking people down with his taser, while beside him Alanis had stopped trying to reason with her coven and merely seemed to be helping her sister dodge spells from across the hall.

 _*Ease off, Bonnie.*_ \- and this was why Matt made sheriff deputy, because he was smart enough to find the loophole around earning the threat that Stefan had unloaded onto him. Mind speak wouldn't count as finishing Stefan's sentence. _*Kai, status update.*_

 _*It's complicated. That about accurate, Bon?*_

 _*Ha ha.*_ \- Bonnie sent the thought out, adding an eye roll for her own benefit.

 _*We could use you here.*_ \- Matt, focused and supremely equipped to ignore dumb jokes.

 _*Found Rich. Or, more to the point, he found me. Apparently he and Geoff are BFFs now.*_

 _*Stop messing around and get back here.*_

 _*Aw, but my little shit brother finally learned how to put up a fight.*_

 _*There'll be a bigger one soon.*_ Luke this time, for once sounding not at all amused. _*Involving dear old dad and our new advisor if you don't come here and help.*_

 _*I have enough help.*_ Bonnie worriedly glared through the hole in the roof. _*You don't, Kai.*_

 _*Don't insult me, I can handle these two idiots. Stay inside your shield, Bonnie. Quit tapping into the creepy witchy woo.*_

 _*I had to strengthen the shield and my other magic's tapped out.*_

 _*So have another witch reinforce.*_

 _*Tariq and I have it covered. Quit nagging.*_

 _*You're distracting me.*_

A scream grabbed all their attention, and Bonnie really thought for a second that it was her, that Kai's sing-song taunt had annoyed her enough that the urge to mentally scream through the link had found its vent through her vocal cords. But no.

Fiona and Caroline, nearby and locked in a long range duel. Silverware sticking out of Fiona's shoulder and arm on one side. Even though the female witch was still crouched on the floor where Geoff had dropped her, she was recovered enough to be casting spells, and right now appeared to have the upper hand. Bonnie saw Caroline's eyes widen as she looked down at her chest, her mouth dropping in horror at the faint line of blood seeping from her ribcage.

Bonnie's heart lurched, realizing Caroline's was at risk, but before she could intercept, her friend's inhuman speed had her throwing a nearby chair out, the velocity ramming into the witch, broken pieces of wood stabbing her body. Blood seeped out, and Fiona lay gasping, groaning in pain as she clutched at multiple shallow wounds. But they weren't fatal. Effectively incapacitating Fiona's spell, Caroline gave an offended glare, then whirled off, but clutching her ribcage as she joined the others in Bonnie's circle.

Stefan and Matt both rushed over to help, but in seconds, that accelerated vamp healing kicked in.

Meanwhile, Fiona passed out, slumping on the ground, but wasn't left unattended for long, as Noah rushed over. He was helping her up when magic sizzled around her form, drawing her towards Joshua and his group. Noah lost his grip, and Fiona seemed conflicted, but in the end chose to stay where she'd been pulled into.

Bonnie found the source of the spell in one of the Parker siblings-Sue. She remembered her, the hippy bohemian sister who seemed to be close to Fiona. And was currently glaring indignantly at both Caroline and Bonnie, promising payback, as she cast a healing spell on her. Presently, Fiona reared back up, adding her own powers to the group, a violent, spiteful beat trilling around the Gemini shield.

Great.

In unison, they chanted, the repetition drawing wind from thin air. Soon the walls shook. A splinter grew on the ground, the fissure cutting across the hall, pieces of roof crumbling around their heads. The lodge cracked apart, threatening to come undone.

Beneath her own feet, the ground split, but a quick step kept her from falling into the widening gap. Tariq's cane tapped the ground, countering its effects but it was a band aid effort. The rest of the coven's collective magic was too strong. Her shield expanded to accommodate the change, but within its confines she and her friends became separated. Stefan and Caroline jumped across, staying by her side.

"You can surrender now," Joshua called out. "We promise to abide by Gemini rules of persecution. You'll get a fair trial, Bonnie. I can't promise the same for your allies, unfortunately."

"I'll pass," she answered.

Damon halted, mid-blur as he gave Joshua a dubious look. "Uh, not to point out the obvious, but you're not really winning here, so you're a little premature on the whole call for surrender."

Zipping off quickly once more, he gleefully ducked the fireballs suddenly hurtling through the air.

In the distance, Jeremy and Alaric were outmaneuvering spells tossed their way left and right, Noah covering the pair, as columns behind them toppled down from bearing the brunt of the magical attacks. Elena continued taking out stray witches, her guard now flanked by Alison and another warlock, his tall, commanding form intimidating enough on its own, but utterly menacing when paired with glowing purple lines scrawling across his dark brown skin, mystical tattoos blazing to life with aggressive magic.

"Who the hell is that?" Bonnie asked.

Luke shrugged noncommittally. "Zamari. One of our security guys."

"We could've used him earlier. Where has he been?"

"Around. Kai assigned him to monitor the compound, after we left Noah's mom in lock-up."

It couldn't be a good thing, that the witch was here, now, fighting with them. Lucy was keeping an eye on things in that one cell with the possessed girl, so what was going on with Noah's mother?

"Don't worry," Luke said. "The compound's on lockdown. Nobody goes in or out without Kai's permission. He probably called Zamari back in himself."

Bonnie glanced around the hall, saw that most of the coven witches outside of Joshua and his entourage were now disabled. Up above, through the hole in the roof, the sky was still lit up under the effects of Kai, Geoff, and Richard Vansel battling it out.

"He needs help," Bonnie muttered.

Nearby, Noah caught her movement, then his grimacing face turned resolute. "I'll go," he called out.

"Be on guard," Tariq warned him. "No blinders."

She was glad the old man had said it, instead of her. She hoped Noah wouldn't pull any punches, but didn't spare time dwelling. He was loyal to Kai, and that had to be enough.

* * *

Three warlocks duking it out in a darkened forest at night wasn't hard to find. What did make Noah check his steps was seeing Kai, on the receiving end of a brutal hug.

From two enormous trees.

He was sandwiched between them, their trunks and branches wound up and around his much tinier figure, and instead of regular leaves at the tops, a million tiny scarab crawled along the branches and each other, heading for Kai's face, ready to eat him alive.

They were thwarted only by his shield, still up but now looking shaky.

Noah cloaked himself, sneaking up behind his father.

The familiar tall, straight back turned into a bulls eye, and he sent a particularly effective spell that could neutralize the older man without killing him.

When it landed on his father, he crumpled to the floor, boneless, his face turning flaccid, as all of his muscles went lax. The smell of piss and shit reached his nose. Noah held his breath, regretting the miscalculation a little but also, not doing anything to alleviate it.

If this was the worst thing that happened to his father after everything he'd helped Joshua set into motion, so be it. It wasn't just about years of constant criticism and pushing from his father, or the repeated demands to earn his name and his heritage. Richard Vansel was always proud and arrogant; Noah had figured that out early on. What he didn't take him for, was a fool. But today, that was what he'd revealed to Noah. Supporting a backwards egomaniac like Joshua, in the name of the coven was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Noah knew his duty well, his family motto ringing through his mind.

 _Either conquer or die._

Kai was the rightful leader, who so happened to also be the better one. Joshua and his cohorts had to go, and Richard Vansel being the unwitting dupe who signed up to be one of them was no longer something that would give him insomnia at night.

One of the trees fell away from Kai, just as Noah materialized. Geoff's face grew red with fury, more amber pouring from his eyes. Kai flung the other tree off, sending it crashing into Geoff, but he jumped at the last moment, smug smile in place.

"How apt," Geoff said snidely. "The two useless scions of our coven, working together to take me out."

"Oh, Geoff," Kai said, chuckling. "Look at you. Big boy. Such a bad ass, right? Tell me, how many years did it take before Mickey decided to take pity and bring you on board as his apprentice?"

Rage swiftly morphed the other man's features, turned it grotesque.

"Years, right?" Kai flicked his finger, and the earth opened a neat hole beneath Geoff's feet, through which his form dropped. Kai leaned down, poking his head over the hole and staring down at his brother's form trapped in layers of sewage pipes, muck covering him.

"Let you in on a secret," Kai called down. "Not two days after I first came back, Mickey begged me to work with him. I kept refusing, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. Had to get forceful. Embarrassing, really."

The other man sent an incoherent shout up, followed quickly with a searing flash of power that shot up and careened near their feet, the grass turning black and rotted.

"But, yay for you," Kai continued. "Second string once again."

His eyes crackling with power, the ground sealed over then, an army of trees uprooting themselves and toppling over where Geoff had disappeared.

Kai wiped his hands. "Thanks, buddy."

"Sure. Kind of overkill, no?"

Kai shrugged. "Eh." Then his focus turned to his father, and Noah readied himself for an argument or hell, a fight. One never knew with Kai.

"Relax, Noah," came the amused voice. "I was just thinking how nice it'll be for your mom to have company next to her cell."

Noah grimaced. "Maybe better not to put them near each other. They'll just egg each other on."

Kai's glance was quick but assessing, his cool gray eyes knowing. "Geoff wasn't wrong. We are pretty useless to our fathers."

Noah arched a brow. "Really, you're going to have an attack of self-doubt now?"

Kai waved toward the old man beginning to show signs of recovery, groaning as he tried to sit up on the ground. "N-N-No-"

"I was going to add, just because they think so, doesn't mean it's a bad thing. What kind of idiot wants to please parents who are fucked-in-the-head?"

Noah wasn't quite sure if that was profound, but he knew that it was true. His head bobbed a bit, almost involuntarily, a smile of disbelief growing on his face because Kai of all people who had almost cut his throat in a jealous rage mere hours ago, had just dropped a fairly succinct but effective pep talk.

His mouth opened, but before he could get the words out, he found himself flying off his feet, landing several yards away. A spell had signed parts of his hair and the side of his ear, but had missed him for the most part.

His head whipped around and he caught sight of Geoff, slinging another spell that Kai deflected with mute anger. Wind whipped around the coven heir, and when he broke into a run, his feet hovered a good few inches off the ground, propelled by mini tornadoes growing beneath him.

Noah got to his feet. Someone had used magic to clear him out of the way. Not Kai, he realized, who had run to Geoff without pause, wearing the maniacal violent face that meant somebody soon would be missing a heart or a brain or maybe major limbs. Or all of the above, at once.

Noah's gaze landed on the figure in the distance, and all he saw were twisted parts that no longer appeared human. Still moving, though, still with a face, but arms and legs bent beyond recognition. Geoff had turned him into a human pretzel.

Noah dropped to the ground, fighting back nausea, shaky hands hovering around the creature that had once been his tall, proud father.

* * *

At one end of the room, Althea Crux and Maggie were locked together, their forms encased in a ring of fire. Both women clearly struggling from the effort of a duel where neither was moving, but within the confines of their ring were mini explosions, like a star was being formed within that circle.

Recognizing the effects of a battle on the astral plane, the very air around their area of the room charged and causing the objects around them to float around haphazardly, Bonnie's hand shot out.

Tyler leaped towards her.

"Go get Maggie," she whispered, knowing that with Liv in control, the wolf would find its target.

The exertion was taking its toll on both women, their forms beginning to sag under the unseen fight. Bonnie snaked out black and gold coils, needing to draw purely from Expression now, because she was at her limit with nature.

Althea and Maggie instantly dropped to their knees, their ring of fire dying down.

Tyler shot out of the circle, his enormous, black shaggy form a shocking and hairy missile in the hall as it bounded out with animalistic grace, moving faster than even the vampires. His deep growls tore through the air, halting everyone, even Joshua and his group.

He sprang towards the old pair of witches, people around them screaming, expecting him to tear through the women. Spells leapt around, missing him, while others he shook off, Bonnie's magic a protective shroud over his bounding form.

When he got to Maggie, he coiled her over his back and soon both returned to the circle, and he resumed his restless padding.

Caroline was just on the verge of jumping back into the fray, Stefan right behind her, when Joshua and the remaining coven members who had gone passive the last few minutes sprang into movement.

Joshua pointed accusingly at Bonnie, while his gaze was on his coven.

"Those two," he said with a disgusted sneer. "They're behind this calamity. Tyler Lockwood and his family hid themselves for ages. I kept having nightmares about him and this wedding, but I didn't heed it. Malachi kept saying it was nothing, just me losing my mind." Grave, he shook his head. "Too late, I found out the Lockwood's' secret. Twelfth generation lycanthropes."

Bonnie tried not pouring loathing, when she answered, "Tyler and Liv only wanted to get married. That's it. No agenda to harm any of you. Kai knows this."

"We should trust you?" Joshua said. "How coincidental, the Lockwoods struggling with their curse for roughly the same amount of time that you Bennetts have lived in Mystic Falls. It's been bandied about that your ancestors were quite handy with doling out curses."

In total shock, Bonnie's mouth dropped. What the hell was this maniac trying to say?

Joshua addressed the entire room now. "Bonnie here is seeking revenge. I'm afraid, you see, that Sheila and I didn't part on the best of terms. Much as it grieved me, we had a falling out over Malachai's unfortunate troubled past. She pushed me to use harsher methods for reform, but I couldn't stomach it."

His words caused foreboding to overtake all of her senses, and Bonnie blindly reached out with her magic, tugging. Elena, Damon, Jeremy, Alaric and the rest of their Gemini allies appeared within her shield, and she let Expression enshroud them, creating an oblique protective barrier now.

"Bonnie," Elena said carefully, just as Luke muttered, "Shit."

"This Bennett here is singularly equipped to harm our coven," Joshua said in a cold, expressionless tone that reminded her of Kai a little. "She has the motive, the allies. Power... the wrong kind. Who knows? Tyler might not even be here of his own free will. There's a curse that her ancestors probably placed on his family. She could be holding that over his head. And we all know the type of unhealthy parasitic relations that exist between vampires and witches."

Bonnie turned to Tyler once more, with Maggie leaning against him. "You two get to Liv. She's in my room. This lodge isn't safe. Clear her out and anyone else you find."

Tyler was on the verge of jumping out again when Maggie stayed him. "Much quicker method," she murmured, enveloping them in spirals of her magic, before their forms disappeared.

Joshua and his group had picked up on a collective incantation, when Bonnie turned to her friends, ignoring the sudden wind assaulting the shield.

"You all need to go."

At the same exact moment, with almost identical mulish faces, they shook their heads.

"Nah," Damon said. "We're just getting to the good stuff."

"Don't make me-"

"No martyr moves, Bonnie," Elena said.

"Thought you were over sacrificing yourself," Jeremy added, his eyes back on Joshua's group as he neared the edge of the shield.

"And also," said Luke."That's not really a good look on anyone, even you, doll."

Black tendrils soared out, just as Stefan and Caroline gripped her arms warningly.

"Don't," warned Caroline in a fierce whisper.

Wind pummeled around, the force of it shattering windows and pouring in through cracked glass with the force of a tsunami. Within both force fields, everyone shut their eyes in automatic response to the debris flying around threatening to cut their skin and pierce their eyes, but the wards held up. Some of those outside of their protection and lying in a heap on the ground soon stirred. Staying low, they covered their faces against the effects of the spell that brought a tornado bearing down on them, broken pieces of the tables, chairs, and walls tearing into their skin.

 _*Kai, get your ass back here.*_ Caroline's voice on the link, clipped and harsh, was a guilty reminder that Bonnie was attempting the very thing she'd promised against earlier. But whatever Maggie had shown Kai had to have stemmed from losing them. All of them.

They didn't understand.

Her eyes landed on Tariq, and she shook her friends off to make her way over to the elder. "Me and you, we'll do the spell. Ease off the shield, I can cover it. Save your magic for the Tesseract."

He nodded, his face not all perturbed or any the worse for wear, save for the blood drying on his face and shirt. The Tesseract appeared briefly in his hand, but he glanced up, his head angled as if to listen close.

"Not now," he said. "Shields will interfere. Need those dropped."

"Got it."

Around them, wind continued to pummel away, a violent storm careening wildly around both opposing camps. In horror, Bonnie saw pieces fall on some of the unconscious members of the Geminis, and Luke, Tariq, the Crux sisters, and Zamari were scrambling to keep their fellow witches from getting killed.

At the back of the room, Althea rose, shouting angrily, not even bothering to cover her face as she made her way across with clear indignation.

Directed-not at Bonnie. _Woo_ , she was tempted to say, and pump her hand. Score for her. First of the night.

"Have you lost your mind?" Althea demanded, striding up to Joshua, almost nose to nose but for his shield between them. "You could kill us all!"

Coldly, Joshua held a hand out, immersed in a red glow. It almost reached Althea's face, but she shied away from the touch, thanks to Jeremy, who had, unnoticed, darted outside of the ward and was pulling the woman safely beyond Joshua's reach.

Jeremy threw the woman back towards the force field on their end, where Alison and Alanis grabbed their mother, supporting her frame.

Horrified, Bonnie tried to stop him, but Joshua's laugh rang out then, his hand finding Jeremy's arm, the burn there working up the younger man's skin. With a grimace, Jeremy took it, his other hand reaching up, tossing an object towards Joshua and his group that landed on the shield, sticking.

With blinding speed, Ric tossed out something long, sharp, and glinting, and before vamp reflex or magic could intercept, a sword landed in Jeremy's other hand, that he swung down on Joshua.

The coven leader's arm fell off in a clean cut at the elbow. He didn't react, though. No pained scream filling the air, not even a grimace. Around him, his coven watched with disbelief as their leader's stump of an arm jutted out, spurting no blood, offering merely a rotted looking mass of congealed tissue.

Just then, the object Jeremy had thrown glowed, embedded on the surface of the Gemini shield. The others continued chanting through it, but now their expressions grew confused, taking in that Althea Crux was on the wrong side of the room and that their vaunted Gemini patriarch, apparently, was inhuman.

One by one, the Parker siblings fell silent, discontinuing the incantation, but it was too late. Jeremy's net scrambled the magic feeding their shield, and when it dissipated, it was just in time to catch stray pieces of the reception hall heading towards destruction.

The walls of the lodge crumbled down around their ears, the sound of it echoing an earthquake. On all sides, brick and mortar collapsed, the chandelier above their heads crashing down, followed by the balconies on both ends.

Bonnie's magic erupted out, black strands spinning around the room, protecting not just her group but the Geminis left vulnerable.

When the dust cleared, a fine spray of gray coated everything. Bonnie stared, stupefied, not because the entire reception hall was now gone, and only a few stray guest buildings were left of the lodge. And also not due to the fact that the Geminis and the remaining Parker siblings who moments ago had caused the destruction, now seemed to be looking at her with total bewilderment.

 _I didn't do this shit!_ she was close to ranting at them.

But her brain was stuck on Joshua Parker, still laughing, his gaze taking in their new surroundings, which was essentially the former grounds of the lodge, now a scorched ruin. Trees collapsed atop each other, stray fires dotting the landscape.

Everyone eyed Joshua suspiciously, as he pointed in the distance.

"Malachai can't seem to get the upper hand against Geoff."

Alaric crept cautiously up, his crossbow still held at the ready, but a pair of Parkers suddenly materialized right before him. The only two who had been missing from the Gemini circle. Rachel and a recovered Jo. Rachel must have brought her out of the morphine-induced sleep.

Alaric suddenly raised his hands up.

"Easy," he cautioned, indicating his crossbow. "If you notice, we never aimed to kill."

"You think so?" demanded Jo, her own mini crossbows still aimed at Alaric. "Morphine in large doses _can_ kill, genius."

"Jo," said Rachel, her voice tight but keeping a rein on her magic sparking out.

It gave Bonnie hope to see her holding back from attacking.

"Where are Liv and Tyler?"

Bonnie imagined they were in hiding with Maggie, and trusted despite not knowing exactly the location, that they were far enough away from the Geminis to be safe. "Ported to safety along with the children from your coven."

"How good of you to think of them," muttered Rachel. "What would've been better was full disclosure in the first place."

"Oh, yeah? How much of a difference would that have made on your dad's plans?"

That one hit a nerve, as the other Parkers shifted uneasily once more, eyeing Joshua. Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose, looking strangely like Kai.

"Touche."

Jo stalked up to Alaric, snatching the crossbow from him. "I'll take that."

But just when Alaric was handing it over, he suddenly leapt both himself and Jo out of the way of a bolt of magic that came from out of nowhere, hitting exactly where they'd been standing, the ground beneath black and tarry. They landed together in a heap.

Rachel whirled, two of her other siblings covering her sides.

Joshua stalked up, his grotesque stumps smoking with the effects of magic. Rachel swept out lashes of her own, catching him in a firm hold. "What the hell is going on?" she demanded. "Why did you attack? He wasn't doing anything."

"Don't trust them," he said in a clipped voice. "He would've shot you."

The brother who most resembled Kai-Dex, Bonnie remembered distantly-was shaking his head doubtfully. "Didn't look like it."

His magic careened out, his gaze on Luke and the growing number of witches on his side, then on his own father, whose arms remained a misshapen reminder that something was clearly off with the man.

Distantly, thunder boomed overhead, lightning lighting up the skies. Kai's signature, and proof that he was fast losing his temper.

Dex's powers settled over Joshua, reinforcing Rachel's hold.

"Try again, Dad," he said.

"Can someone please tell Kai to get his ass back here?" demanded Jo, pushing herself off Alaric, slapping his hand away that was trying to help her up.

"Weren't those my exact words earlier?" Caroline muttered.

Keeping Joshua in her hold, Rachel and the rest of the Parkers and Gemini members stalked over, facing Bonnie.

Elena sped over, hovering beside Bonnie.

"I think," her brunette friend said in her best peacekeeper tone. "We could all use a truce here."

"Seconded," Caroline said, finding Bonnie's other side.

"Granted," Rachel said in a clipped voice, her gaze finding Joshua again, the unease obvious when her eyes landed on his arms.

The man was part zombie, clearly.

"You want answers." Bonnie forestalled further demands, closing her eyes, and letting her magic do the work for her, because this shit was getting exhausting. "Here you go."

The clearing erupted in waves of black mixed with sparks of white, images playing out. She willed her mind to focus on the key conversations, beginning with Tyler and Liv's visit all those months ago, asking for her help, then Matt and Caroline being recruited, and hashing out the main plan-the veil spell-and Luke's behind the scenes aid. Then she fast-forwarded to yesterday morning. Detailing Kai's eventual involvement-skipping all the parts that needed to remain private. She added her own promise to help find a way to free Tyler from the curse. Then the unexpected, unpleasant discovery of being spied upon by the possessed housekeeper, Mickey's torture lair-

"Oh, did I miss movie night?" came the teasing voice, breaking everyone's focus on Bonnie's version of sharing.

Everyone turned, finding Kai appearing through the mangled remains of one wall, levitating an unconscious Geoff behind him. He neatly vaulted over, then tossed Geoff at his father's feet.

"To keep you company," Kai drawled. "On your time out."

Trying not to break into a run towards Kai, Bonnie zeroed in on his form, relieved to find he wasn't bleeding-much. Outside of scrapes and bruises, and more splinters, he seemed okay.

He was doing the same, his eyes running over her quickly, before he broke into a grin.

"Can I?" he asked, stopping right beside her, pointing up, and before she could nod, swooping blue and silver erupted out from him, joining with her magic. His own memories took over. Starting with the visit to the compound, where he and Bonnie settled the possessed victim inside to recover. Then him, Tariq, Luke, and Noah finding Mickey and the Vansels, the ring of human corpses surrounding them.

He finished it with the punishment he doled out to Mickey, then drew the magic back in, spirals twisting towards his form, coalescing inside his eyes.

Bonnie glanced away before she could have an inappropriate reaction to that. He was so going to teach her how the hell to do that-tomorrow.

The room was utterly, resoundingly quiet after, while she and Kai stood side by side, eyeing the Geminis.

"Soooo," he said, his eyes brightening while he clapped his hands together and rubbed. "We all buddies now?" Then his eyes stuck on his father once more, and his face turned puzzled. "Need a hand or two there, pops?"

Joshua's face remained unfazed while he ignored Kai, focusing only on Geoff's unconscious, battered form, burns and bruises streaking across his face and through tattered clothes.

"Where's Noah?" demanded Fiona, striding angrily to the front of her group.

"At the compound. Babysitting your shitty parents and getting a little first aid treatment himself." At Fiona's uncharacteristic show of alarm, Kai shook his head. "Geoff tried to hex him, but Rich picked a fine time to grow fatherly concern and intercepted. So Noah's great, but your father? Whole 'nother can of worms, after Geoff's hex. Not too cozy after all, those two. Or maybe," he paused, his scorn briefly aimed at Joshua, "despite evidence to the contrary in my own experience, blood _is_ thicker than water, hmm?"

Through the quip were clear notes of bitterness in his voice, and the Parker siblings all wore startlingly similar expressions here, while they avoided looking at both Kai and Joshua.

"Knew Richard was too soft," muttered the Parker patriarch, right on cue. "Let his own son be his downfall."

"Shocker, I know," Kai agreed, then turned his back on his father, hate radiating from his eyes while he took in the state of the rubble that had formerly been the lodge.

Rachel and Dex maintained their hold on Joshua, while they joined a discussion led by Tariq. Bonnie suspected what it was about and crossed her fingers no new obstacles would pop up.

"Not exactly what I meant when I left you guys to hold down the fort," Kai muttered.

"So the fort in question no longer exists but we're still standing and, hey, no casualties!" Damon sauntered over, smirk in place. "This qualifies as a win, in my book."

"Your book has subpar standards. I leave for five minutes and everything falls apart."

Caroline moved closer, her voice retaining worry as she eyed Luke, Tariq, and Althea, their conversation turning heated with the cluster of other Geminis, their allies looking far too earnest and frustrated as they spoke.

"Your coven doesn't seem to be taking it well," she said to Kai. "All they're doing so far is looking at Bonnie like she needs to say sorry, and I will _cut_ a bitch, if they think that's gonna happen."

"Is Tariq the Morgan Freeman lookalike with the cane? Cuz I'm duly impressed." Damon, ever helpful.

"Nobody cares," Kai replied indifferently, stepping near to Bonnie, a hand brushing her arm and automatically, she leaned into him. "Kept your Expression in the bag. Maybe you're not so hopeless with following instructions after all."

"Nope, she didn't need to resort to any of that witchy woo much, loverboy. Guess why? The ex had her back." Then Damon's smirk grew, his face taunting. "Should I not have said that? Awwkwarrd."

Appalled, Bonnie's mouth dropped as she sent a rock flying out that hit Damon squarely on the side of his head. He spun, glaring at her.

"Nice moves there, Gilbert," he continued. "I might've gotten a little starry-eyed. Bonnie, did you get starry-eyed, because nobody would blam-"

 _"Shut up, Damon!"_

The chorus of voices in perfect unison rang out at the same moment, all equally irritated and adamant, halting all other conversations. The Geminis turned, seeking out who it was that earned such aggravation. Damon slunk away, muttering to himself.

Kai, the only one who had been silent, surprisingly only spent a few seconds flicking a dismissive glance at Damon that moved to Jeremy, who stood with Elena, favoring his healing arm after getting blood from her to heal the burns.

But the two men said nothing to each other, and Kai tilted a quick nod to Jeremy, who shrugged, then returned to rubbing his arm.

Still gripped with an urge to send an aneurysm Damon's way, Bonnie nonetheless took the high road as well, as Kai's gaze found hers again. "Where's my sister?" he asked. "Still piloting her new pet?"

She almost said yes, then checked herself, glowering at his choice of words. "They're safe. Maggie's with them."

"Mmm. Hey, how is it," he added in a murmur, eyes roaming her face, "that my splinters have splinters yet here you stand, only a little sweaty? And your dress still only has that one tiny little spot on it."

When he pointed, his finger hovered far too close over the stain just beneath her breast,. They were surrounded by his coven and her friends, but it didn't matter. Her cheeks grew flushed, among other parts.

Dangerous, that finger.

Combined with that post-fight adrenaline still heating her blood, and his own eyes still raking her over-

She shied away from him.

"Gee, maybe if I wasn't ordered to neuter myself, I might show more signs of battle wear."

His lips tilted at one corner, but he looked away from her, apparently satisfied with disrupting her focus.

"What now?" asked Rachel, as she and the other Parker siblings approached, Joshua and the unconscious Geoff now held within the confines of a magical cell conjured up by Althea.

Kai's expression switched as he stared at the prisoners.

"Clean up, obviously," he muttered.

"This entire weekend has been an exercise in flagrantly shitting on Gemini conventions," said one elder with a shocking bolt of white hair sticking on its ends. "Joshua, Geoff, and the Vansels, we know protocol for them, but what of Tyler and Bonnie? Their associates?"

"Don't expect a free pass," chimed in another.

Lighting struck the ground several yards away, a pair of trees and branches toppling from the sudden assault. In the distance, thunder issued another warning to complement the anger blazing from Kai's eyes.

"W-We can table that discussion," said the white-haired elder promptly.

"Until a better time," agreed his cohort.

Eyes rolling, Kai gave them his back. nodding out to Tariq. "Now would be a good time for that device," he said in a low tone to the elder.

Tariq and Althea stepped away from the Geminis, their faces resolved, and in Tariq's hands the Tesseract glowed, but they held it away from prying eyes, so only a handful witnessed it.

Joshua missed its presence entirely.

Bonnie observed it all, almost overwhelmed with relief that it was finally happening.

"We're going to break with protocol for my father's punishment," Kai said in measured tones to a few of his coven far enough away from his father's hearing. "I'm going to assume a few of you have been aware of Tariq's plans. Those of you who weren't-" he smiled. "Welcome to the club. I only just found out myself recently."

But his smile died in the next moment, his gaze turning aware and bothered, before snapping back to Joshua, who merely returned a smug face back. Bonnie cast her own magic out in a scan, assaulted by a new wave of familiar potent, rotten auras. Automatically, she sought Kai, found him grimacing back at her, and as one, they both glanced around the clearing, as if in search of something.

 _Where are you, come on, get it over with..._

Tariq and Althea neared Joshua, their magic wrapped around threateningly, aiming for the man still entrapped in the cell. Bonnie intercepted them, addressing the other Geminis as well.

"Something's wrong," she warned.

Kai stalked towards his father. "Sensing something screwy in the air," he said, his tone cold. "What dick move are you trying now, old man?"

Joshua laughed, an almost helpless sound. "Contingency, son. You know how that goes."

Then Geoff suddenly rose up from the ground, his eyes aglow with loathing and stagnant magic. Uttering a single command, the air simmered before him, sweeping around the clearing. Out of the air, shapes formed.

People. Sallow faced with dull amber gazes staring back out. Dozens and dozens, surrounding not just their crew but also the remaining Geminis standing.

Kai doubled over, his eyes turning pained. Soon the rest of the coven followed, clutching their guts.

"Kai?" Bonnie asked, putting the army of the possessed at the back of her mind, her alarm purely focusing on the entire coven that seemed to be spazzing out, Kai first and foremost.

Only Geoff and Joshua seemed unaffected.

It all happened so quickly, she couldn't make sense of it. Blood filled Kai's eyes. He gurgled out a noise, but it caught in his throat, and when he coughed, spit out a trickle of blood.

She ran to him, wrapping black tendrils over his form as he fell to his knees.

Her friends surrounded them. "What do we do!" cried Caroline. "What's happening to them?"

"He's dying," Joshua said tonelessly. "So are they."

Bonnie screamed, but it stuck inside her mind, while Expression filled her pores and exploded out. Blindly, she grabbed Geoff, twisting his body painfully. He fought her hold but it was useless.

"Bonnie," Kai choked, his hand up to grab her wrist, tugging. He wasn't siphoning her, merely applying pressure. That grew weaker by the second.

"Don't. I'm not-" he stopped. "Won't die."

He couldn't even form proper sentences, and there he was worrying about her losing control. His eyes weren't recognizable, just a sea of broken blood vessels, and his nose and ears began pouring red as well.

"No, no, no," she cried out, wrapping his face in her hands, while he lay on her knees. "Hang on, just-don't-"

That's where he would die, on her lap. Like her dad. And she would have to sit there, watching the pool of blood grow.

"You can't heal him, Bonnie," came Joshua's voice. "But I can make you an offer. The only one you'll get from me. I can keep him alive. Nobody dies. Not Malachai, not an entire coven. But I need to take over his body."

Kai started laughing, sputtering out more blood.

Disparate pieces of the puzzle fell into place then, as she stared through her tears at Joshua's face. His zombified body, the engagement to Alanis, his newfound fondness for Kai, culminating in handing the son that he'd tortured and abused for years-everything, really. Power, love, and respect. All the elements that had been missing from Kai's life during childhood.

"What happens to him if you take over?" she asked faintly.

"A guest inside of his own mind. He can't be forced apart completely from his subconscious." Joshua smiled reassuringly. "Every once in a while, I'll let him out to play."

Damon's wrist suddenly appeared in Kai's face, the vampire forcing blood down the witch's throat. Kai just gagged on it, and Damon cursed, leaping back up and hauling Joshua by his neck.

"I'll snap your neck, old man," he threatened. "Let your son go."

Joshua lit Damon on fire instead. The vampire zipped away, rolling quickly along the ground, and within seconds he was back up, ready to tear his teeth into Joshua, but Elena sped to him, stopping him, her face horrified as groans and death rattles filled the air.

Bonnie's magic swirled higher, expanded into an entity of its own, hovering over the entire clearing, the coven, her friends. The possessed. Distantly, she felt its pull, but she hushed it, ignoring the lines that appeared between her and the rest of the world, not even feeling the need to tug all once, and bring reality to a halt around Joshua's ears.

She felt the throb of a device awaiting use. Thinking of it brought the Tesseract in her hands, and she kept it hidden from all other eyes.

Some of the Geminis were unconscious now, blood growing out from their forms.

"They're dying, Kai," Bonnie whispered.

"No," he choked. "Tesser-use it."

 _*Give him what he wants, Bonnie. Been mean-*_

His voice in her mind felt brittle, but his blood-soaked gaze was stubborn as always, while his body shut down, convulsing.

Caroline was crying, zipping around the clearing, Elena, Damon, and Stefan following her lead, using their blood to try to heal everyone, a last desperate gamble even though it hadn't worked on Kai.

Bonnie didn't bother telling them it was useless.

The entire coven would die, and there were at least fifty or sixty creatures waiting in the wings, with the stamina and strength of vampires and capable of wielding magic.

Over a hundred lives hanging in the balance.

Bonnie tugged gently, Tariq appearing suddenly, unresponsive, but she didn't need him to talk just then. Her finger brushed his temples, and she took it in, the words seeping into her brain, settling there easily.

"Go ahead," she told Joshua, now released from his cell. Still ensnared in her hold, Geoff struggled in another futile attempt to free himself, his eyes pleading now towards his father, but the older man just held up a hand, stalling his effort.

Bonnie let the lines grow taut, Expression slowly suffocating Geoff. When he passed out, she slammed his body into the ground, half burying him, before turning to watch Joshua crouch beside Kai.

"Body s-s-witch," Kai rasped. "Twist ending."

Her friends were making a move, but with another tug, they froze.

"Bonnie, he'll turn on you," Jeremy warned, the only one who had somehow evaded her magic. "Once he's got Kai's power."

Joshua could try. She turned back to Kai, whose eyes lay open, brows furrowed. He was concentrating...one last spell.

Magic seared over the two Parkers, brightening the air around their figures. In another moment, the rasping moans and death rattle filling the clearing died down. The older man's figure slumped on the floor.

She didn't have to wait long, before his body flew up, hovering, encased in flames, then burst into a spray of charred and bloody bits.

"Ugh." Kai's form rose, his arm up to wipe the blood off his face. He looked down, patting himself, then cricked his neck-and it was such move of his, that she stepped towards him unthinking, hoping.

"Well," he said, smiling, his eyes filled unholy glee-again, just like Kai-while he took in his recovering coven.

"I suppose living as an Abomination might not be so bad, after all."

He approached Alanis then, the witch backing away while she still stayed halfway crouched on the floor. Ka-Joshua-flicked a finger, and she rose with the help of his magic. His hand reached out, grabbing the woman's wrist, encircling it in his grip.

"We can still honor the betrothal," he said gently.

Horror dawned on the woman's face. Behind her came a shriek, an angry hex soaring through the air, followed by Althea.

"You won't do this, Joshua," she threatened. "Not my daughter."

"You already gave your consent."

"To Kai. You are not him."

He laughed, sweeping a hand over himself.

"Anyway, you're on borrowed time," Althea said, growing calm then, looking straight at Bonnie. "I'm sure _she'll_ coax him out."

That was Bonnie's plan, and probably the same thing Kai had imagined, although it was hard to watch it now, seeing the way Joshua used his face to throw hungry looks at Alanis. It made her sick, made worse because Alanis was growing more terrified by the second. And here another puzzle worked itself out.

Althea and Alison seemed capable and smart, and in terms of abilities, Alanis paled in comparison to them. She did, however, possess all the qualities of an excellent trophy wife, someone who could be supportive in public and submissive behind closed doors.

No wonder Joshua had chosen her.

With the remaining coven back on their feet, they stood near her friends, and now the irony lay in how they seemed to band together, the fact that they were separate supernatural species now no longer such a problem, in the face of Joshua, Geoff, and their legion of unnatural creatures.

"I highly doubt that." Joshua cut a dismissive glance to Bonnie. "He's gone."

Despite wearing his son's face, Joshua's look of insincerity shone out, and she didn't trust him at all, still retained hope that Kai wouldn't go down so easily.

"I wasn't lying before, Bonnie." He tapped his head. "Malachai was supposed to remain on the sidelines in his mind. But he was already missing. The internal hemorrhage might have been too severe, but luckily I got there in time to salvage what was left. Lucky for me, that is."

Bonnie's throat clenched, choking her on a breath.

"You don't believe me, I see."

Without warning, a jolt seared her, abrupt and painful, charring her skin. Nerved endings in too much shock from the hit, she blinked down at herself, noted the damage.

The clearing filled with screams.

Joshua walked calmly over, and in his eyes was the familiar flash of crackling magic, silver and blue currents. Shooting out once more, aiming for her.

She closed her eyes, tears rolling down her face and burning her still-raw blisters on her cheeks.

 _Kai._

Her friends were all shouting, yelling her name, but she didn't turn around, couldn't see past the tears in her eyes and rage in her mind.

"You sick fuck." But her voice was cold fury, not sad or bereft. "You killed him."

Tornadoes formed around her, flashes of light erupting from the force fields hastily erected by the other Geminis, protecting themselves and her friends from the effects of Joshua's attack. With Kai's ancestral magic, his power was near limitless. Joshua's mouth moved, and he hovered, laughing when he'd gotten high enough to tower over them all.

He pointed to his creatures, and they started battering the Gemini shields.

She was frozen in time, thinking of Kai. They didn't say goodbye, no last words, because she was sure there was something else, he had a plan. He always had a plan.

Joshua just had more.

He whirled towards her, lifting her up, tossing her in the air against a thicket of trees. She rode the currents of the storm, reached out a hand to feel the familiar tendrils of Kai's stormy magic. But it wasn't him. Joshua with Kai's power would mean the end not just of the coven, but possibly her friends, Mystic Falls. An entire species of supernaturals.

He would use this as a platform to start a war. Had already started building his army.

More lines soared out before her, disappearing into an endless horizon of black. Joshua's tornadoes encircled her, spinning wildly, lightning battering into the waves of black cocooning her.

It wasn't really in question, was it? What needed to happen was obvious.

With a tilt of her head, the tornadoes died down, and she flew to Joshua, stopping just before the shield he'd thrown up. His hand went up, and her two fingers arrested his movement.

Kai's face, and eyes, and magic.

None of his soul. Nothing of him remained.

He grabbed her hand, the move fueled a little with panic now, and a lot of hate. She braced for the tear to hit her, for the siphoning of her magic to start. It never did.

Confused, they both looked down.

"Why can't I take your magic?"

Was it possible? Hope flared. "Maybe he went on a bathroom break in your head. And now he's back."

Lightning and hurricane winds hit her at the same time. She careened through the air, just missing nearest thicket of redwoods.

"He's simply gone!" shouted Joshua. "Malachai is dead."

It wouldn't affect her plan. Exhaustion crept in. She needed to end this.

Bonnie fisted the lines around her, but Joshua disappeared from where he hovered in the distance.

Jeremy, Elena, and Damon appeared then, on the roof of a surviving lodge building. Alaric on the ground had two mini crossbows up, borrowed from Jo, she realized. One pointed at her, the other on Joshua. He was on the verge of shooting, but she froze them all in place and then black swirls hovered over both groups, just in time to protect them from the mutated creatures swarming.

Joshua reappeared before her. Stabbed her with his fist formed into a gleaming mystical dagger. She barely felt it, gave him hardly any reaction except a smile. Blood pooled around her mouth. Lines of Expression wended and wavered, chasing the blood off her skin, healing her organs.

Joshua snarled. The creatures below moved at once, currents of a storm buffering them up. Bonnie didn't raise her hands, just swept a glance down, black spirals twisting up at her command. The possessed swayed in response. Their magic twitched out, puny little punctuations in comparison to the endless lines reverberating everywhere.

A whole universe, just there beneath her fingertips.

She never got to show Kai how it was for her, this craft. Simple and elegant, for the most part, but wild beneath it all. Maybe he would've liked that description.

Her body convulsed, a sob escaping.

Her eyes caught and held on a form below.

Geoff. The little shit was still alive.

Commanding his own set of possessed, the line that led to him glowed deeply amber, and Bonnie flicked a careless wave, turning that line frigid. It froze all the way through, and so did Geoff, his body turning pale and stiff, icy smoke rising from his form. Bonnie tapped on the line, shattering it, only barely catching a glimpse of Geoff breaking into a million pieces before she turned away from him.

Joshua screamed, rushing down to help his son, catching only shards once he reached him. Pieces of what once had been Geoff cutting his face. He tried to gather them with his magic, but they dissipated into powder.

A thought hit her, then, one she dismissively followed, and she drew the lines around her closer. In unison, the creatures flailed wildly, their bodies contorting in painful ways, as amber leaked out of their bodies. Soon, their faces resumed normal color, their eyes returning to their natural state. Collectively, they dropped unconscious to the ground.

Snaking coils of black magic left to run rampant rushed towards Bonnie, seeking a new master, but she turned it away in revulsion, twisting a fist, encasing the magic into a sphere that roiled hungrily under touch. She gripped it, knowing it would need a safe place.

Joshua was still shouting. His fury seemed alien to her. She blinked as he rushed her, but he froze mere feet away, while she slapped his magic aside.

The world broke for a second. Her mind flitted through images of her father, Grams. Kai.

 _I get to protect you..._

 _Stay strong..._

 _We'll find our way back to each other..._

The scream she let out then echoed throughout the clearing. Below, everyone clutched their heads, groaning as they fell to the ground.

Black overtook the skies, shrouding the world. She wrapped herself in her grief, but didn't lose her resolve.

She felt her gaze sparking, and with a glance towards Joshua, he flew up, this time without any wind to give him flight, but only her. Spikes of Expression tore through his body, grew out into black threads. The Tesseract glowed in her other hand, wheels and rigs spinning into place.

Joshua fought and screamed some more, and she smothered him into silence, his breathing turning shallow.

 _*He won't die. I'll make sure.*_

She chanced a look below her once more. Tariq, standing amongst the crowd, the only one not screaming, nodded gravely back at her.

Everyone else ran frenzied, trying to reach her, screaming her name. All four vampires had cracked the shield, their forms bloodied from the effort. Beside them, Jeremy and Alaric had thrown more of those nets up against the field. Luke, wobbly, but throwing spells left and right, Alison and Alanis joining in. Soon they would break it.

Her friends.

 _*See you around.*_

She tried working her face into what she hoped was a smile, but _everything_ hurt. She couldn't breathe past the pain, the worst of it near her lungs.

Caroline and Elena were crying, frantic.

 _Soo dramatic,_ came a familiar voice in her head.

Bonnie let her own tears roll, and then when she tried to look past them, she caught a glimpse of Matt, his face turning calm, even as tears welled up in his own eyes as he looked at her.

"Come back to us," he mouthed.

She laughed then, needing that. She nodded, choking on a sob while fat tears streamed out now, and she poured her heartbreak into it, not just for herself but for her friends and the Geminis. They had been so close.

She had been so-

Angry, she swiped at her tears. When she glanced back down, hoping for a last glimpse of her friends, she almost fooled herself into thinking she saw Kai, emerging from the other far end of the clearing, other forms stepping up beside him.

"Bonnie!"

That was his voice. Was it in her head?

But no, she was hallucinating. Out of the corner of her eye, his stolen face rested peacefully, hovering within the confines of Expression.

The Tesseract throbbed in her hands, growing heated. She held it away, and it hovered before her, a bright white beam shooting up, surrounding her and Joshua.

"Bonnie! No!"

That one was a peculiar brand of desperate, nothing she'd heard but matching a look she'd seen. On Kai's face. Still eerily close to his voice.

The universe spun then, and Bonnie welcomed the disorientation, and the rush of insanity that claimed her senses. Halfway through, she almost lost her grip on Joshua, almost decided to let it happen, before she secured him more fully to her.

His body-warm, its scent familiar and comforting. She breathed in Kai, thinking of a world where maybe magic was still around, and she could manipulate Joshua into believing he was his son.

The thought turned into a disease, infecting her with new hope.

Sick. She was sick.

But the hope grew, and Bonnie fought not to use her magic to redirect the spell. Before she could delve into inner conflict, though, her problem resolved. Kai's body morphed before her eyes, turning soft. Her hold grew slippery, the lines of black struggling to keep him in place.

Joshua woke up, then, opening his mouth, his face morphing from puzzled to frantic. "Wha-"

Then he was gone.

Not in another world, she could sense it. He was just-done. His existence winked out. Like he hadn't been real. Joshua in his actual body was the intended target. All magic paid a price. Maybe the spell's loophole had destroyed him.

Bonnie's heart wrenched again.

The Geminis.

It was all for nothing.

She screamed again, nobody on hand to witness, no walls or objects around to bounce the sound off. It reverberated within the beam, the lines of her magic going haywire then. She allowed it, let its hunger out. Here, there was nothing but light to absorb all those greedy black threads.

Despite her brain feeling like it would come apart, Bonnie kept her eyes open, peering through the endless sea of brightness before her, but outside of its confines was nothing, just viscous bleakness. The lines around her flared once more, seeking her, sated for now. Grounding her. She reached for them, nestling into them for comfort, and crossed her fingers.

 _Help me, Grams. You, too, Kai._

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **:'(**


	31. Chapter 31

_CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE_

Bristly fur grazed his face when he woke up, and his nose took in the smell of charred wood. Under his back was hard ground, dead leaves crunching with his every movement, as he grunted and rolled to sit up, opening his eyes.

"Welcome back," came the clipped, relieved tones.

Kai rubbed his head, disoriented, placing Maggie's voice, but struggling with everything else.

"How'd I get here?" he asked.

"The lodge was about to fall on our heads. Bonnie sent us to collect Liv from her room and bring her to safety." Her mouth pursed down, wryness seeping through the fatigue. "Imagine our surprise to find you on Bonnie's bed, logging in your beauty rest."

He scowled. "That's not what I was doing. Bonnie trapped me in her room."

"And you very foolishly allowed her to."

He didn't bother arguing that.

"Regardless," Maggie said, her eyes returning to scan the clearing. "We thought perhaps as a favor to Bonnie and your coven, we might as well bring you along."

"You broke the ward?"

She snorted then. "Malachai, that entire room was nothing but cracks and craters by the time we arrived. There wasn't much left of the ward to break. You and Liv are lucky to have stayed in one piece."

At the mention of his sister, his eyes went to her prone form laying nearby, still unconscious, but the humongous, shaggy black wolf padding up to him just then with his yellow gaze glinting gave off a familiar, restless, worried and grumpy vibe, that was all Liv.

He tried to make sense of it, and then his brain caught up. It all came rushing back to him.

 _I need to take over Kai's body._

 _Bonnie, he'll turn on you...once he's got Kai's powers._

"No!" he shot up, glancing to the skies.

Beside him, Maggie cast a grave look to where blackness grew above the clearing in the distance, Expression magic blanketing the air thick, heavy, and unyielding.

"Maggie-"

She never glanced away from the skies, her face wrinkled with worry and exhaustion. "Go."

But he was wobbly on his legs and with his magic. He shook his head clear, almost regretting what had brought him to this.

His moment of weakness in the hotel room, unable to pass up on a chance for further intimacy with Bonnie. And she'd gone all in, let him indulge, fucking rocked his world-then turned the tables and put him to sleep, her wards kicking in to trap him inside her room. When he'd woken up, all that was left were traces of her, and her magic, and jam, and his own longing for more of the same.

But no-because they had shit to do. Or she did, and intended to keep him out of it.

The spell to displace his consciousness packed a wallop, but the idea to use Tyler's plastic life-size imitation doll had been his best, quickest chance of rejoining the others. With his real body stuck inside the wards, he'd cast aside the idea to demolish the entire wing just to break it, and also dismissed plans to recruit others into breaking him out. Too risky, plus Bonnie would probably intervene.

Summoning the blow up doll from Liv's suite had taken just moments, and he'd tweaked its appearance, jumping his awareness into it, then improved the spell to allow him to continue the charade while also retaining his magic.

And he'd had a lark with it, and also kept meaning to share his actions with Bonnie, if only to appease some of her worries-but he kept getting interrupted.

The damn thing had ended up fucking saving his life.

Whatever hex his father placed, had affected him as if the borrowed form was really organic, reinforcing his hoax. His father's plan to jump into it had been an unintentional stroke of genius that made him laugh at the time. Joshua had no idea the Kai that he'd hijacked was only real so long as the animating spell held up. When his father's hex hit him and his loaner began failing from the hex, Kai had been preoccupied trying to get the incantation right that would return him to his true body, stuck inside Bonnie's room.

And he'd tried, once more, to let Bonnie know, but gotten too ill to finish sharing the thought on the mind link.

But she couldn't really think he was dead, could she? His coven would've died along with him, and he could see that Liv, though unconscious, was breathing normal, hadn't taken on the signs and symptoms that he'd shown. The state of his coven would've given Bonnie the answer, if she knew to look.

If she was still thinking clearly.

His little omission-all those derailed chances of cluing her in-now struck him as the worst fucking mistake of his life.

"I'm near the end of my resources, Malachai. But I have enough to help port us closer."

The lined, pale hand she stretched out shook a little, but magic shot out, sure and steady. Within moments they arrived nearer the edge of the clearing, and leaving Liv's body resting near a thicket of trees, he ran with unsteady legs, Tyler bounding ahead, Maggie lagging behind.

A dazzling, white beam erupted into the sky then. Something foreign washed over him, arresting his brain, seizing his ribcage and tightening all the organs there as he imagined what might've caused it. Or who.

 _Fuck no, no no no-please Bonnie, don't be a part of that._

Her black threads of Expression, weaving around the air, set against the backdrop of that blinding light. Tyler growled, then whined, screeching to a halt as they broke past the line of trees.

Her petite form levitated several hundred feet above the clearing. His heart lurched, stopping briefly.

Bonnie-dwarfed within the effects of the Tesseract, as it hovered in the air between her and his fucking dumb shit bastard father. Exactly what he'd feared the last few hours, his worst nightmare since finding out about the device, and it was all happening right before his eyes.

"Bonnie!" he shouted, willing his powers to explode into action, but it was slow, so goddamn slow. He'd overdone it, needed time. Time that he didn't have.

On the ground was his coven and her friends, trapped inside a force field of her making, black layer of Expression casting it slightly opaque. Bonnie and her damn shields. Outside of them, dozens of people, caterers and staff, lay on the ground unconscious. He saw Althea Crux turn and spot him, and her eyes went wide, as she sent magic up and out, but she too was stuck inside the shield.

Kai ran, chanting, wind kicking up beneath his feet. It started carrying him, his magic somehow spurring to new life. He choked on her name, his currents reaching out to pull her out of the device's reach, but he was still too far away-

Bonnie's face when she glanced back-

She was blinking through tears, in a daze. Unseeing.

The light brightened, expanded, swallowing the two forms.

"Bonnie! NO!"

The Tesseract spun in solitude a few seconds more, then dropped to the ground, shattering.

She was gone.

He couldn't stop, the force of his ancestors' magic coursing more wildly, fueled by his desperation, the rage. He hovered in the air, trying to draw that small form back, spikes of silver blue stabbing out in a frenzy, clawing the space where she'd been.

"Bonnie!" he yelled, fisting his hands. In the distance, electricity sparked, fizzed out, power lines breaking and snapping angrily as a flash storm hit, lightning cracking in numerous areas.

 _Gone..._

His world went red, the beast inside breaking free. Enormous clouds whirled into formation, turning the world into nothing more than a bleak haze, broken only by flashes of lightning, blinding him momentarily. Wind tunnels grew from nothing, erupting quickly into tornadoes. He flew into one, letting it take him as he closed his eyes and reached out.

Willing her back.

His magic roared. The air sparked. He blinked, hoping, but all he saw was a tall figure with his face, his clothes, and it morphed, from plastic to skin and back. Animated to lifeless. He caught the moment of confusion Joshua wore, as he glanced at Kai. It was like looking in a mirror at a wasted version of himself.

From below came yells.

Kai ignored them. A live wire drifted through the air, sparking. The skies opened up.

Rain battered down, as Kai shot the wire straight into the figure before him, piercing first Joshua's abdomen-

 _That one's for mom..._

Then coiling back to strike his head. His father died with his mouth-half-plastic-stuck on a shout, before the wire erupted through his face.

 _That was for Bonnie._

Down below were his coven and her friends, flailing around for cover from the sudden tempest.

He needed to get a grip.

Somewhere out there was Bonnie.

 _Giving up so soon?_ he imagined her warm voice, and that hint of familiar exasperation. _Do better._

His eyes shot open, the gears of his mind tumbling back into place, spinning madly. Currents of his magic shot out, searching. In seconds, broken pieces of the device that had taken her away coursed towards him, dozens of disparate parts hovering in the air innocuously, before they landed in his hand.

His mind fell quiet. He kept floating inside the eye of the storm, tornadoes careening beside his face and thunder in his ears. Water poured on his cheeks-from the rain, probably. He wiped it off, fingers numb, gripped the Tesseract tighter in his other hand, and disappeared into the mass of clouds.

 _Find me, Kai._

* * *

Nobody knew where his brother, newly minted Gemini leader, disappeared to.

With Bonnie gone also, once the storm abated, Luke found himself, Tariq and Maggie Durant fielding questions and panic-

"Two Kais? How? What was that device? Is Joshua really dead? What happened to the Bennett witch?" became the refrain, until Maggie shushed them all, succinctly answering the first one.

"Malachai had the foresight to use a stand-in."

Her brief, staccato explanation outlining her own barely concealed agitation, Luke stopped her from saying anything more, leading her away from the crowd. He nodded to Tariq, allowing the elder to take over, and would have started on a spell to take Maggie to the compound but she stopped him, seeming to read his intentions.

"I must go home, Lucas."

His grimace was automatic; he'd been hoping for her presence, her expertise on tracking down both Kai and Bonnie.

But she was shaking her head. "I need to consult my coven," she muttered. "Your brother's fine-heartbroken, but safe."

"And Bonnie?"

A shudder wracked her, stooping her shoulders low and for once, making her look her years. "I've never known anyone so foolhardy. Nor anyone braver. That child." Her eyes shone with determination. "Bonnie is not dead, merely lost to us in another world."

She sounded so sure. His expression must have voiced the suspicion forming in his head, because in the next moment, she said, "I've had my share of experiences with that particular device. Building them is my coven's specialty, after all. Bonnie has portaled into another universe, Lucas. Of that I'm quite certain. Our problem now is to sort out which."

"It was all for nothing," came a disgusted voice. "In the end, your coven prince got his shit together and killed his daddy, but he was just a little slow, wasn't he? Now our friend is out there in limbo!"

Angry blue eyes met steely aqua, and the air grew thick again with tension.

"I would be very careful," Maggie said in cool, courteous tones, "of misdirecting your anger, Mr. Salvatore. I'm well aware of your tantrums and not at all a fan of them. You wouldn't like how I'd react."

"Yeah? Why don't I see it for myself?"

"Damon, don't." Caroline's hand went out, grabbing her friend. "It's not her fault, she tried to help Bonnie."

He whirled, eyes blazing at the blonde. "I told you all not to come out here-gave Tyler the address to that little chapel in Atlanta-but no, let's ignore the advice of the only one who's ever had a run-in with other Geminis. What do I know, right?" Kicking at a rock, it went flying, breaking through the remains of a wall, that collapsed the rest of the way upon impact.

The rest of the coven turned, on alert. Their eyes rested on the vampires, and as one, the hostility returned.

Matt strode up. "We should go," he said shortly.

More of Bonnie's friends joined their group, all of them with their eyes scanning the clearing. "We can't find any of the parts to that device," Jeremy said, his voice holding notes of grief. "Where the hell did it go?" Zeroing in on Maggie, he said, "It's the key to getting Bonnie back, right?"

The older woman turned reflective, her worry easing briefly as she cast an aqua gaze up to the skies, and then sighed deeply. "Among other things, yes. But it shattered to bits. It would take time and immeasurable magic to build another. Not to mention, tracking down another Bennett witch to activate a new one."

"We know another Bennett," said the brunette vampire, her face distraught and her hands clenched around the small wristlet that Luke remembered seeing Bonnie wearing before. She had dropped it sometime after shit hit the fan. Now her friend was holding onto it for dear life, probably hoping to be able to return it to its owner soon.

She had no idea the kind of spell work it would take, and even then there could be no guarantees. Jumping worlds was a magic exclusive to one coven-Maggie's, and they didn't part with their knowledge easily.

But the old woman nodded, as if consulting with herself. "Pay heed, especially you," she pointed to Damon. "I am invested in bringing Bonnie back, as much as any of you. But I need to return home for resources. Wherever Bonnie is, I trust she can handle herself. She might even be earning a bit of reprieve." Here she narrowed her eyes at them all, letting it last longest on Damon. "God knows she's earned it, all the times she's been forced to take hits meant for others. Wouldn't you agree?"

With that, she too, left them, dissipating in a swirl of magic tinged with just a hint of disapproval.

And of course, Luke would find himself standing right between the Mystic Falls crew and his coven. Neither side appearing all too friendly at the moment.

A long, tense silence filled the air, and inside his head Luke could hear notes of _The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly_ echoing around, while everyone waited on who would make the first move.

No Kai to disarm coven aggression, no Bonnie to diffuse her friends' rising tempers.

To his complete surprise, Tyler in his wolf form sprang from out of nowhere to stalk beside him, low growl rumbling periodically in warning to both camps.

"Liv?" Luke whispered out the side of his mouth.

The wolf's ears perked up towards him, but he didn't stop pacing.

 _Oh, thank God._

And then Jo joined in, her glance towards the wolf hesitant, but Tyler's nose reached for her hand, brushing it gently. Jo let out a small whoosh of breath, looking to Rachel, Dex, and Sue pleadingly.

Rachel was the first to cave, muttering something beneath her breath, her gaze on the vampires behind him mistrustful, but growing less hostile as they rested on Jeremy, Alaric, and Matt. In her eyes, the misinformed humans that she probably considered the only three of Liv and Bonnie's friends worthy of their friendship. But the fact that she hadn't sent a hex out to the vampires was small progress.

One by one, his siblings stood by him, forming a divide between the coven and the outsiders.

"So," Luke drawled. "I'm going to let those of you go home who are ready to drop. Not gonna get in your way or make you be part of clean-up. Get your rest, report tomorrow."

A large mass of people at once disappeared from the crowd, and he blinked at his siblings. Clearly, he'd underestimated just how damn exhausting the night had been.

But there were still a dozen or so elders, as well as the Cruxes, Fiona, Zamari, Tariq, and some of the senior members of the older families, faces paranoid or concerned or both.

"The rest of you-" he paused, trying to think what the hell Kai would do. Find a bottle of tequila, for one. "Well, I'm thinking we should all head to the compound. You know, to sort this whole shit out."

He looked front, then back, and front and back again, willing for people to act their age just this once. His coven wavered, and the Mystic Falls group raised skeptical brows.

"All in favor of a nightcap?"

Apparently, he'd also underestimated the power of a good alcoholic beverage, in times of duress. Several minutes later, they were back at the compound, sharing the large hall with a few vampires, hunters, a cop, and one lone werewolf. And if a few drinks were passed around somewhat cynically, and with definite mistrust lingering-what did it matter?

Baby steps was their aim here.

Maybe he and his siblings hadn't formed a divide back at the clearing, after all.

Instead, it had been a bridge.

Noah greeted them at the compound, his face falling once he took in the two missing from their group. An uncharacteristically docile Fiona approached his side, eyes downcast, while Noah just glared at her, then sighed and patted her shoulder, whispering something, and she disappeared downstairs.

"Well, I know Kai can't be dead," Noah said, then his face paled. "But where-"

"She's not, either," Damon muttered, shouldering past the witch. "Just took a trip. To a different world, or so they say. But we're getting her back. The other one's your problem."

Luke realized he didn't give Noah enough credit. Damon's words recovered him quickly, and with total aplomb, he guided them all down to the sublevels, where they took in the state of the three occupants.

The human woman, almost fully recovered-with a magical monitor hovering in her cell, and a woman's face there keeping watch.

Bonnie's friends made a beeline for that cell, and soon they were grouped altogether, discussing.

"Bonnie's cousin, playing long-distance guard," Noah said, then led them towards the other end.

Richard looked a right horrible mess of awkwardly bent bones and muscles stretched to inhuman, downright painful proportions. His face sagged, eyelids opening and shutting, moans issuing from a mouth that seemed half melted. Whatever hex Geoff had used, clearly this would require a lot of time to undo.

Next to his cell was Clarice, sobbing. Fiona stood before her cell, her face wrenched in despair but no tears in her eyes. Luke turned away from both of them in disgust.

Noah had gotten enough of the story from his mother to piece together the details of Joshua's failure. But before he started, Luke led them all one level up, to the council room, and made use of the well stocked bar from the nearby kitchens.

He had a feeling Noah's story would need a few drinks to get through.

Richard had been responsible for healing Mickey after yesterday's banishment, and with his magic restored, the two men had gone on to Kai's apartment to awaken Joshua from his sleep, magically flushing out the remains of the tranquilizers from his system. Clarice Vansel, staying behind at the lodge to play lookout, had been the one to uncover Bonnie's identity, after witnessing her and Kai duking it out earlier in the morning.

The possessed humans had been Mickey's scheme, an offshoot of a project he'd been working on with another witch, although who that was, Clarice didn't know. But Mickey's shadow partner had provided the warlock with the knowledge, the skill, and the firepower necessary to lay the groundwork. At some point, Joshua became involved, and Luke could guess easily enough how little effort it would've taken to motivate the old man to enter into the alliance.

Luke knew his father would've rationalized it all as being best for his coven, collateral damage be damned. They'd had a few losses recently emptying vampire nests and werewolf dens, were always on the lookout for best practices when it came to handling their age-old nemeses.

Joshua had just been biding his time, waiting to amaze the coven with his new experiments, with Mickey lying in wait to gain even more influence among the elders, as Joshua's right hand man. And Geoff? Eager to find himself playing with the big boys. Finally wielding magic potent enough to earn the respect that none of their family or the rest of the coven had ever really given him. And also enticed, according to Clarice, by the prospect of ditching his unhappy marriage, Joshua and Richard promising him an annulment and subsequent betrothal to Fiona, in order to cement the alliance between the families.

Except Fiona had proven incalcitrant, unwilling to trade down from Kai.

Initially, the plan had been to leave Kai out in the cold, just an accessory piece to the new status quo. With the senior Vansels recruited, the group had been confident it wouldn't take much to convince the rest of the coven that the idea of a new supernatural creature to combat old foes was not only necessary, but desirable. Even if there were objections initially, down the line those would've been dealt with. Joshua's way, of course.

Even with his father's broken magic, Mickey's dark interventions had restored him enough to allow him to cast potent spells at the end, never mind that the price had been the deterioration of his father's physical body. Having access to powerful magic had motivated Joshua, and his long-repressed need to vindicate himself had coincided perfectly with Liv's wedding, giving him the best motive to take back the coven.

Tyler and Bonnie, their true natures, their associations with vampires-had just been icing on the cake. With Clarice suddenly reporting on how close Kai had suddenly become to a Bennett witch who seemed to stand in total opposition to most Gemini protocols, his father had been inspired to change the plan and instead of leaving his son as an outcast, decided to just take his place.

It fit neatly into Joshua's vision of the future for the coven; not only a new world order, but a new body, filled to the brim with ancestral Gemini magic. Younger, stronger, and with the added edge of siphoning.

Suddenly, the very thing that their father was convinced turned Kai into a monster during his childhood-now an asset to Joshua, as the coven leader.

Luke listened to Noah's explanations and tossed back another glass of Scotch. Then another. Jo, Rachel, and Sue exchanged dismal glances, while Dex muttered curses, his magic erupting and destroying a portion of the table. Luke kept swigging away. At some point, Tyler padded over, knocking his glass onto the floor with his muzzle. Then the wolf bounded away, disappearing through a set of doors leading outside.

Liv was equally pissed, but stuck navigating Tyler's wolf form, couldn't do anything except run around and howl at the moon.

But Luke-he needed to take action here. Something.

Presently, he stood and started delegating. They were all in relative agreement that clean up would be shared. It fell to the Parker clan to assign them, a task that proved easier with everyone else still too tired to argue. Quickly and efficiently, they appointed a group to handle the destruction, another to handle the displaced human guests and staff, still gathered in the sublevel conference rooms asleep, courtesy of Maggie and the rest of the coven witches appointed to rescue duty earlier.

All of it too much work, and they were a band of supernaturals that had reached their limit, so they set to work, knowing most of the tasks would remain unfinished.

Several hours and even more porting back and forth later, they called it a night, finding guest rooms at the compound to crash in. Even the vampires. Tyler carried Liv's form on his back and padded out. Liv still piloted, and Luke knew she would use the guest house at the back of the estate, away from all the other Geminis.

The rest of the night passed, thankfully, in peace and quiet.

When Luke awoke, he made his way downstairs and found that most of the group had risen, and some already back at the lodge. He was disappointed beyond the telling to see that Kai was still missing.

 _Asshat._

It fell to Luke to reassure the lodge administrators the Geminis would soon be at work, restoring their business and the estate, but even with the elders pooling their magic together, it wasn't enough. They needed Kai. All day, he cast locator spells. When that failed, he resorted to asking the coven members skilled in hacking, leaning on satellites and surveillance to track down his brother. None of which worked.

At the end of the second day, the Mystic Falls contingent left. They'd done what they could, and now they needed to regroup themselves. Elena and Stefan, being the friendliest of the group, pleaded with Luke to reach out to Maggie again, and he made promises he fully intended to keep. But his head hurt, and he lacked the magic to attempt anything to bring Bonnie back. The vampires seemed to read his thoughts on his face, and Elena quietly broke down, Caroline right along with her, when the gang all left.

Damon shot them a sharp glare full of angry promise, before the vampires disappeared. Alaric and Jeremy were the last to go. As they approached, Jo hurried over, handing Alaric a black inconspicuous bag.

"Pretty sure you're gonna try to find Maggie yourself, so I made up a little kit that I think might help you guys get there," she said. "Don't bring any vampires with you when you go. Make sure you keep Lucy Bennett's sample of magic in that vial. It's break- and spell-proof."

Alaric nodded, his eyes warm and appreciative as he smiled at Jo. Luke's instincts all blared to attention. He eyed the man coolly through narrowed eyes. Alaric cleared his throat, shook his hand, and backed away, shuffling awkwardly.

Jeremy's good-bye was succinct and to the point. "This is on the Geminis. If Kai doesn't try to help get Bonnie back, I'm coming for him. Pass that along."

Luke sighed. "Will do," he said. "But you'll have to get in line behind me."

A reply that seemed to do wonders for Jeremy's state of mind. His face broke into a relieved, quick smile, before he nodded once, then joined Alaric in disappearing through the double doors.

Liv and Tyler had already vanished along with Matt at that point. It hurt more to think that his own twin hadn't bothered to say good-bye, but with Tyler no longer in wolf form and the Geminis unstable-he couldn't fault her logic in getting the hell out of dodge.

On the third day, halfway through the lunch hour, he found himself amidst the rubble, contemplating using black magic himself to get all of the work done. The thought brought Geoff to mind, and his mood soured worse.

Luke sent a disgruntled spell up to right one leaning piece of a building. In his head, he was cursing his family, his coven, his luck but most especially his oldest brother, when something deflected the magic, and it rebounded away from the building, landing harmlessly on the grass.

"Sloppy," came the bored voice, before familiar silver-blue currents soared around, working out the parts of the uneven structure, smoothing and restoring it to a polished finish.

Luke had never been more relieved to hear it.

Kai sauntered up, gaze taking in the rebuilding efforts. Several buildings were not only erect, they were fully functional, and some of the staff had even returned, never mind that there were no guests as of yet. People needed to continue earning a wage and see something on their paychecks.

So, just partial disarray, no thanks to any of his brother's efforts.

Luke glared at him, but Kai ignored it, his eyes closing. The remaining razed trees and landscaping abruptly shot back up to life within a one-mile radius. Dried up ponds filled with fresh water. Demolished rock quarries sprouted shiny pebbles and jagged boulders, none of it scarred with signs of battle.

They grounds had been left unattended, everyone too focused on razing rubble and then creating new brick and mortar structures- _they have to meet code!_ was the constant refrain from the lodge officials.

Kai's two minute spell revamped the grounds and the clearing alike, and suddenly Luke would've been hard pressed to spot any signs of the battle.

Other Geminis soon noticed, joining them to welcome their new leader back into the fold, as if he'd just gone on a short vacation. And maybe he had.

Rebuilding continued at a quicker pace following his brother's arrival. As far as coven affairs went, Kai seemed to be covering most of the bases. He'd even already gotten in touch with the Mystic Falls group, to Luke's surprise, reassuring them that Maggie was working hard on a new Tesseract.

But the veneer of a lie shone through everything he said about that. When Luke brought up Bonnie's name, Kai went deaf and dumb, then pretended to be absorbed in something one of the crew needed help with, a leak in the roof of one building. When that was handled, Luke tried again, thinking grief did weird things to a reformed sociopath. And that was true, he knew this. But Kai seemed hell-bent on thwarting all of his efforts to broach the subject.

"What the fuck, Kai?" he finally demanded, and when his brother just tossed him a dismissive look, he stormed off, but not before destroying the windows of a building Kai had just resurrected.

Later, his brother joined the appointed council meeting with his patented nonchalance that both pissed Luke off more while also giving him reassurance. Anyone witnessing it would've said the events at the wedding had just been excess dust that Kai had brushed off his shoulder, a demeanor that helped alleviate some of the elders' concerns that his father and brother's joint betrayal and deaths had shaken their new coven leader.

Luke himself saw no chink in his brother's armor, but it was there, he knew. Just couldn't find the damn thing, as Kai continued to move down the pressing list of issues.

"...about time for the families to know."

"Of course, and we'll reimburse them appropriately for their losses," said Henri, his shock of white hair bobbing up and down as he nodded his head in time with collecting the minutes.

"Also perform the easement," Kai said dismissively, his eyes scanning the rest of the list.

Everyone stopped, automatically looking to Luke, Tariq, and Althea for confirmation.

"Not normal," said Tariq, his brow heavy.

"Hmm?"

"Is that really necessary?" asked Althea. Luke was relieved to see while her voice was sharp, the light in her eyes reflected understanding. "They've lost their loved ones, it's their right to grieve. No spell should take that away from them."

Kai shrugged. "Those five dying like that? Our coven's _mea culpa_."

"But that's why they'll be reimbursed," Rachel pointed out.

"Figure we could do their families a solid aside from just throwing money at their faces."

His logic there clear, and yet flawed. But how to explain, to someone not quite in touch with their feelings-

The idea hit him then, that maybe Kai had indulged himself, using the easement ritual to spell himself free of any sadness or guilt about Bonnie's disappearance.

But his brother's jaw clenched abruptly, shadows passing in his eyes, then staying, looming large, his face going pale...

No. He hadn't done that, and Luke should've known better. His brother didn't run. Which made it all the more worrying just where the hell he'd gone the last few days. What he'd been up to.

Kai was a fucking mess, and doing his best to hide it. For the coven.

"Perform the easement," Kai repeated, his tone brooking no further discussion, as he pointed a finger to Henri, laying the duty at his feet.

His white hair bobbed once more, hesitant but obedient.

The round table fell quiet again, and Luke knew when his brother's gaze landed on the names. He had scanned the list himself, seen Tyler Lockwood written there. The elders needed an answer on his illicit entry into the coven by way of what they considered a sham marriage. Yet, nobody brought up the topic. Kai didn't even seem to hesitate, just skipped him on the list, along with one other glaring omission.

Liv herself was supposed to be in attendance now at this meeting, along with Tyler, and it came to nobody's surprise that the newlyweds had hightailed it out of town well beforehand.

Nobody brought up Bonnie Bennett, either, her name the other skipped item on the list. The general consensus among the coven seniors seemed to be that while her presence had stirred up controversy, the actions she'd taken that led to her disappearance marked her as a fallen ally.

One of many, and one whose questionable associations they would ignore, since she was gone now anyway.

It spurred Luke to anger, and a general sense of helplessness. The Tesseract was gone, no one knew where, although watching Kai closely, Luke had suspicions. But his brother remained aloof. The one time he broke from that, was when someone mentioned the as-yet unfilled advisor seat, the one that Bonnie had been poised to fill.

Luke was sure the elder who'd brought the matter up probably shaved a few years off his remaining life, the way he started quaking once Kai's iceberg gaze stayed locked onto the old man's for an entire silent, tense minute there, before schooling itself back into the indifferent face of authority that worked wonders for the rest of the conference.

His brother closed the meeting quickly, coldly, and for once, without having to field bullshit politics from the rest of the coven. It would come later, Luke was sure. Right now, they were all just playing nice, everyone licking their wounds. The very few supporters that remained of Joshua's leadership were especially quiet, although Tariq and Noah kept a close eye on that front.

Mickey Wallingsford failed to receive funeral rites, but Joshua as the former ruler and Geoff as one of the scions were both entitled to it, and everyone's nerves were too frayed to get into a rigmarole over making exclusions. If word got out to the other covens that Joshua Parker hadn't been properly pomped-and-circumstanced in his death, that would cause talk, talk that eventually might signal trouble for Kai, and it was early days for him yet in his official reign, with enough on his plate.

The day of the funerals arrived, with little fanfare, but the sun rose bright and cheerful, as if the universe knew there was something to be hopeful about.

As the chaplain presided, Luke thought of Geoff, parts of him strangely low and depressed, which probably pointed to his own sentimentality than to anything Geoff had really ever done to deserve such. Maybe if their mother hadn't always pushed Geoff to tag along after his father, his brother might have had a chance. Or maybe if she had decided, on that dog day of summer that she took Kai away, to bring Geoff along also.

A lot of maybes, with nothing much to show for it.

The scattered few who arrived to witness the rites didn't stay long. Maybe they were entitled to burial rites according to coven tradition, but there wasn't a rule about forcing the members to witness it. Even some of his siblings didn't bother appearing. Aside from himself, it was only Tariq, Althea, Jo, Rachel, Zamari, Henri. The last two really only present due to their functions-Zamari as security, Henri as administrator.

Kai had made it, also, standing apart from everyone the entire time, eyeing the chaplain with the same bored gaze throughout most of it.

Luke watched the flames build on the ritual pyre for both Joshua and Geoff, waited until the small procession of coven members in their sober black attire grew smaller in the distance as everyone parted ways. Jo squeezed his hand before she and Rachel drifted off.

"Come with us," she said. "We're meeting the others at Dex's."

He nodded. "Should I bring Kai?"

"Well, we're all getting shit-faced to celebrate the end of Bastard, Sr. and his Junior. Kai might be up for it." They both glanced around, but didn't see their brother among any of the figures walking back to the line of cars. "Or not."

They shared a commiserating glance, before her eyes turned piercing. Luke knew what was coming; mentally he scanned through a list of replies to the question clearly on the tip of her tongue.

"So when are you going to dish about what happened between him and Bonnie?"

There it was, and him still unprepared how to answer. He tossed out a half shrug, half head shake instead. "I'll go find him," he said, deflecting, not meeting Jo's gaze.

Neither of the two coffins had been dressed with any flowers or messages during the beginning of the ceremony, and Luke spared a thought to check if any had been left now that it was over. If nothing else, a stray card with the message 'You'll be avenged" would at least be a useful clue that his father and Geoff had others in their pockets. Others lying in wait as the next threat in the long line of enemies that their coven had grown throughout the last, oh, few thousand years.

Kai stood over the two headstones, his head bowed. Luke approached, ready to berate himself for feeling shock, but just as ready to throw a quip out because it never hurt, especially at a funeral, to have a good laugh. They all carried unresolved issues and trauma, with their father as the culprit, and Kai bore the lion's share of it. It was natural, for his oldest brother to be here, weighed down by it-

Yellow liquid trickled onto the grass, a stream of it arcing between one and the other headstones.

His eyes widened, as Kai stepped away and zipped himself up, done pissing on their father and brother's permanent rest sites.

Kai's face remained unfazed, as he passed by. "Small turnout," he said lightly.

For once, Luke's voice failed him.

* * *

A week. Her friend had been gone a whole damn week, and they still weren't finished restoring the stupid Tesseract, and her brother had gone probably the entire time without sleep.

Liv wasn't that far behind.

They sat in Bonnie's kitchen, her friend's cottage serving as a source of both comfort and misery. The earth-toned walls, bright curtains, and eclectic knick knacks here and there, the walls saturated with Bonnie's potent magic, at once soothed and crushed her, reminding Liv of that afternoon months back, when she and Tyler sat in the living room, begging Bonnie to accompany them into the lions' den.

Liv alternated between crying and raging and pushing her magic to its limit. And she was there, using the spare key Bonnie had given her so long ago, back when they'd shared the cottage those first few months she had arrived in town, because there was no better place to center magic meant to benefit a Bennett, than in a place that had served as home to two of the more powerful members to have existed in their family history.

Or so Kai had pointed out.

On their first day back in Mystic Falls, her brother had straggled up to the Lockwood mansion. She'd been in the middle of flushing out the rest of the pieces of the Alchemist's stone from Tyler's unconscious form when her brother appeared, and with him looking on the verge of collapsing himself, it had been all Liv could do not to have a magical meltdown.

Only Kai's satisfied if shaky smile and the device he held up in his hands kept her from going there.

"Came to collect on that favor," he'd said, waving the Tesseract in her face, before she let him stagger inside. "Need a stronger source of magic to align it all into place and let it travel between worlds. I've spent mine, almost. Wanna help?"

He knew, of course, that asking was a mere formality. But he was in terrible shape and it had been her idea to let magic refuel him, otherwise their plans would go nowhere. She let him siphon her, knowing it was the least she could do. As much as he looked like shit, he probably felt much worse.

He'd been away, trying to stay a step ahead of Maggie when it came to gathering the things they needed to get the device up and running. He had everything-the spell, the device, and even Bennett blood and magic, in a vial that separated the two in layers-and now he just needed the firepower.

They'd made a lot of progress. Between the pair of them, Tesseract 2.0 would have a hell of an upgrade. Kai mentioned that in its original form, it couldn't jump with the witch, and that was how he'd been able to collect the broken pieces after Bonnie's disappearance. But with the right tweaks and enough juice, this new one not only would be able to do so, but also lock in on Bonnie's signature using remnants of her magic.

There were an infinite amount of universes she could have traveled to, and eventually landed on; if done right, the new device would maybe narrow it down to a handful.

Except their magic, even with the spirits on Kai's side, was just on the short side of enough.

They worked tirelessly, motivated on her and Tyler's part by guilt and shame and remorse, that they hadn't thought of a better way to make their marriage happen-how young and stupid they'd been even just a few months back-she really should've thought harder. But maybe there was a bigger part of her that was prone to being an optimist, because the pessimist in her hadn't foreseen this.

Bonnie paying the biggest price.

And Kai.

Her heart hurt for both of them. It was all her fault. The two people in her life who'd tried to do right by her, and this was how she repaid both of them. Kai was nowhere near perfect; Bonnie despite her flaws-or maybe because of them?-was pretty much close to it. Liv realized then that her brother deserved to have someone like that, needed to have a taste of happiness, for once. And Bonnie really could've benefited from having Kai around. If only to learn how to be selfish. Learn when the hell to say no. Especially to friends with bad ideas.

Friends like her and Tyler.

"You're not gonna find Bonnie at the bottom of that bottle."

Tyler slumped beside her on the counter, running a frustrated hand through his hair, before he grabbed said bottle and took a swig himself.

"I'm not drinking myself into oblivion," she muttered. "Just dulling the edge. Helps me focus for these spells."

"You two need help." When she glared at him, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Blood out of your noses, blisters anytime you try to work on that device. You ran yourselves ragged, and now you're both too stubborn to ask for help. But it's Bonnie. She deserves as much help as she can get. Hell, I'd start chanting myself if I thought it'd get anywhere."

He had a point, which she normally wouldn't mind giving him credit for since it was something he always downplayed, all those times that he proved he wasn't just a meathead ex-football, frat brother.

Gold glinted off his finger, when he pushed the bottle back her way. "Why not bring Luke in? You've got that nifty twin bond, I've seen the kind of spells it can carry-"

"How many times do I have to tell you, Tyler? Nobody else gets in on this. Too dangerous. And they might try to stop us."

"Not Luke."

"No, probably not, but he's not going to be gung-ho with me and Kai tripping into other dimensions. He'd probably send himself."

"What about the old lady, then? Didn't she say she was going to try it? She wouldn't stop you-"

"She wouldn't," came the deep voice from across the room.

Kai strolled out of the coat closet, magic disappearing into a vortex behind him in the darkened confines of the small space. His expression was the same as it had been every night this week-haggard and tense, his eyes slightly dead. He dropped onto the couch, directly atop the throw blanket. The one that Bonnie liked to use a lot, and that carried so much of her scent and her magic.

"But you might as well grow your paws and start digging a hole for her in the yard, because Maggie would insist on coming along, since she's an observer and trained to do these types of spells, yadda yadda-" he waved indifferently, closing his eyes, his head turning to the side. She saw the subtle flare of his nostrils, as he sniffed the blanket. "And then the pull of moving across space and time would rip her to bits because her magic's no longer strong enough to take that kind of inter-dimensional force."

He was still in his suit for the funeral. Liv lifted a brow, the question 'how'd it go' inanely floating to mind, but she kept it down. She didn't care-truly. All she felt was relief that her father and Geoff were gone. Rotten seeds, pruned away. Maybe she'd spent too much time away from the coven, but there it was. They should've had wild dogs go to town on her father's body. Except that wouldn't have been fair to the dogs.

"It's quiet," Kai intoned, letting the silence draw out some more before he rolled his head sideways to them, opening one eye. "Should I repeat that more slowly and use less words?"

Tyler gave a small growl, but her brother only chuckled darkly. "Give me a reason, Clifford. Just one."

"Stop, you two," Liv said, but it was half-hearted because she was eyeing Tyler intensely. His growl had set off an idea, but it was hazy-

She frowned, trying to shape out her thoughts...

 _I'd start chanting myself if I thought it'd get anywhere_ -

"Oh, shit," she whispered, grabbing Tyler's shoulder. "Why the hell didn't we try this before?"

He threw a puzzled glance back.

Kai shot up from the couch. "Small Eureka moment?" he asked, his eyes turning guarded when he approached.

"Huge." She smiled, then tilted her chin at Tyler. "My husband's a genius."

Kai squinted down skeptically. "Think this is one of those cases where the phrase 'love is blind' applies."

"He's a werewolf, think about it."

"Right, as in not a witch," Tyler said, looking from one Parker to the other, his face confused.

Kai's eyes narrowed in thought, and she saw the moment he put it together. His sharp inhale, the sudden lightening of his eyes, and-oh, God, poor guy-the sheer hope, unfiltered, spreading all over his features.

"Okay," he said, the corner of his mouth tilting up in the smirk that had been missing all week. "Time to get our Bonster back."

* * *

Keeping busy staved off the insanity building into a fever pitch inside his mind.

When Kai wasn't pouring his time and energy and what was left of his magic into finding Bonnie, he was with the coven. But even those were just filler moments, and he ticked off every second in Portland impatiently, masking it from most of his family and the coven. Except Luke.

His brother suspected something. It was only a matter of time before he'd reach out to Liv. Once that happened, his sister would break.

If she hadn't already.

Her idea to channel the powerful curse that imposed lycanthropy on Tyler had been a stroke of genius. Much as she put it at Tyler's feet, it was all Liv. Tyler was just her unwitting muse. But thankfully, he was willing to put in equal effort for Bonnie's sake, and gritted his teeth through the invasive ritual that Kai knew felt like his insides were being turned inside out-all to wade through the magic behind his curse, and manipulate it into feeding the Tesseract.

It was exhausting for all parties, painful for Tyler, and Kai and Liv were close to finishing, but each time Tyler took one step closer to transitioning, his body's defense mechanism trying to kick in, Kai knew it inched Liv closer to throwing in the towel and bringing Luke or Maggie in.

He didn't want either of them showing up, mainly because he knew they would argue against him being the one to jump into the device. And he didn't fucking feel like thinking of his coven. Nobody else needed to go after Bonnie but him.

Every day since she vanished just-hurt. Similar to the gnawing in his chest that he'd felt when he'd lost his grandfather, but worse because this time it went hand in hand with a manic urge to raze the world into the ground.

How he managed to go back home and play nice, and even do the opposite-lend a hand with his coven's rebuilding-he didn't even fucking know. But every night he went back to his apartment and headed straight to the kitchen, directly into the empty space by the fridge where he'd carelessly erected the mystical portal, that led him thousands of miles across the country...into Bonnie's coat closet.

He'd had the thought, after their first time together in the car, that maybe a long distance thing wouldn't be so hard. Magic made a lot of things in life easier. A relationship was one of them. But at the time, he hadn't broached the idea of setting up a connection between their two living spaces because he figured they'd eventually get to it. He couldn't leave Portland, and if she couldn't bid farewell to Mystic Falls, this was a workable compromise.

One that he'd grown confident she could be talked into.

He stood inside the closet, wallowing in the dark for a few moments, reaching up to stroke the wool jacket that carried her scent the most.

Jesus, he'd never fucking missed anyone else the way he did her.

The door swung open wildly, breaking rudely into his reverie. "Quit being creepy," Liv muttered, her face tight. "We have company."

And stalked away, giving him just a few seconds to recover, and then turn angry and panicked. The fuck?

He'd explicitly forbidden Maggie, Luke, or anyone from the coven being involved. He stalked forward, ready to toss his sister's ass out of the house-and everyone else along with her, because fine, he would just do this shit himself-

Only to stop short, because his brain tingled with awareness, but he couldn't place where there was a vampire anywhere, as he stared dumbfounded at the two women sitting at the table, drinking tea.

Kai blinked. One of them, he'd already met, unofficially with Bonnie during the quick phone call that night of the wedding, and then again, officially, a few days ago, when he'd unexpectedly popped up at her apartment and pleaded for her blood and magic to help in finding her missing cousin.

Lucy Bennett took a sip from her cup, raising her other hand and saluting him a silent hello, her face worried but not unfriendly.

The other woman-older, taller, and her dark hair pulled back into a severe bun-rose from the table, her movements fluid and spare in the way that vampires supremely comfortable in their skin had mastered.

 _Oh, fuck my life._

Abigail Bennett. Bonnie's mom.

With supreme effort, he willed his magic not to go on autopilot and into defense mode. Every one of his Gemini hackles rose, but maybe it was less of a hate-your-species-on-principle response and more of a let-me-date-your-daughter-who-went-missing-on-my-watch type of nervousness. He couldn't tell, problematic considering that with his mental history he already had an issue confusing things.

"Wha-why-how," he stammered, before he stopped, clearing his throat. Then he tilted his head, scoffing and laughing at himself. He drew in a breath, shot his sister a glance, took in the hopeful quirk of her brows.

Liv called them in, probably for help, and they were a better alternative than anyone from his coven.

They were here for Bonnie, was all mattered.

"Thanks for coming," he said lightly. "Sucks, actually, that we meet like this, but-" he shrugged. "Maybe next time we can do a picnic."

Lucy nodded, concern still filling her face. Abigail just gazed calmly back, and something in how she carried herself put him in mind of Sheila, which was dumb, because of course she'd look like the woman, she was her daughter. But he'd never met Abigail, and since she'd stayed off the radar for so long, he didn't figure her to resemble in any capacity her mother, who had never gotten away from the spotlight despite how much she tried. She was just too powerful, too regal.

Strangely, Bonnie didn't take after either women. She tried, he suspected she really wanted to go for Sheila's poised demeanor, but at times Bonnie gave off vibes of an atomic bomb. No matter how much she liked to pretend she could blend into the background, every room she occupied, his eye was always drawn to her. To him, she never struck him as anything less than fiery.

Precisely the wrong thought to indulge in just then since it took the air out of his lungs, having her face and hearing her voice floating to mind. Lingering. With a grimace, he gulped down the pain lodged somewhere in his diaphragm.

"My daughter's got a track record, falling in with the wrong crowd," Abigail said, following him as he led them all to the living room, where the ward for the ritual spell was set up. "Her father and I tried to keep her from that bad habit. We didn't have much luck."

Of course, and now she was going to warn him off. The Gemini coven weren't exactly known for being warm and fuzzy, but he wasn't in the mood to argue.

"If we could just-"

"I'm only saying this once, Malachai Parker," she said in a measured, even tone. "I know your coven, and your own history. But you have good people vouching for you. And from what I heard, what happened to Bonnie now, they were circumstances outside of your control. Of all people, I can understand that."

Then she paused, lost in thought, and chief among the myriad emotions crossing her face was remorse. He remembered then that in that brief visit to Bonnie's head, none of the family pictures had contained her mother. For all intents and purposes, the woman before him was a deadbeat.

But that didn't ring true, not if she stood here now.

Someday, maybe Bonnie could fill in the blanks for him.

"So. You and your sister bring Bonnie back." Her shoulders squared. "And you get one more shot with her."

Kai held her gaze steadily, while inside his stomach lurched with hope.

"It's about time for my daughter to get a sense of what it means being around other witches." She sighed. "God knows I didn't set any kind of example."

Behind him, he sensed Liv as well as Tyler, who'd snuck his way inside, and both their auras shifted, turned looser, at the woman's words. Lucy stepped up, squeezing Abigail's shoulders reassuringly, before both women both nodded back at him.

Giving him their version of the proverbial blessing.

"Okay," Tyler said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together, shooting everyone a tight smile. "Now that awkwardness is outta the way. How about we move on to my torture session?"

Drawing a half-hearted smile from Lucy and a sharp glare from Liv.

Everything was prepped, and apparently the two newcomers seemed to know their roles, probably since Liv already had a game plan when she brought them in. Kai wasn't surprised, seeing Abigail stepping inside the circle to join Tyler.

Vampirism meant there was plenty of magic inside of Bonnie's mother to draw from now.

"This should do it," Kai muttered, taking up his own position. Lucy and Liv rounded out the triangle, and now he was soaked up to his eyeballs with excitement. Between Abigail and Tyler, not to mention a Bennett witch and two Geminis, that was enough firepower to finally finish retooling the damn device.

Abigail closed her eyes, calm, while Tyler tried for the same but managed to fidget anyway.

"Relax," Lucy said, tossing a quick smile at Tyler. "You're no longer the only lab rat in the building."

But Kai knew him well enough now. It wasn't the pain that set the werewolf's teeth on edge with anticipation. He was scared of transitioning fully, and putting the rest of them in harm's way being around him.

"Ever tangle with a werewolf before?" Tyler asked Lucy now.

She shrugged. "I can take you." Then she drew out a syringe, capped and filled to the brim with clear liquid and something else that spiraled with obvious magic. "That's not just arrogance. I've got a handy-dandy little needle here with your name on it, if you go woof on us." Her smile turned rueful. "Bonnie's given me a few pointers about your kind."

Kai swallowed again. Just hearing her name-

"Ready?" he asked with a clenched jaw, feeling Abigail's eyes on him, sensing some sort of approval radiating from her quarter but he had no time to be grateful for that.

Closing his eyes, he began the incantation.

The Tesseract shot up from his hands, Liv and Lucy's voices joining in bringing the device hovering above their heads. The gears spun, and he felt deep in his bones the force of all that magic waiting to be unleashed. Every cell inside of him became jittery.

Ground shaking, he heard as if from a distance Tyler and Abigail groaning in pain, felt their auras leeching out, merging towards the device. Kai poured his own to help, felt his fingers burn as his Sumerian and Sanskrit rings responded to his call for power, and the Gemini spirits lying in wait stirred then, as one rising to the surface of his mind.

 _Permissio._

He pleaded with them. Nothing happened for one long second...

Abigail screamed, and a groan nearby abruptly turned into a deep, animalistic grow.

"Tyler!"

"I got it!"

Kai couldn't help. Behind closed lids, brilliant lights blinded him, shocking him rigid, frozen in time. An invisible force snatched at him, and he heard another shout, but he couldn't open his eyes, his entire body paralyzed. Someone tried to grab his hand but it fell away.

 _Quoniam tu solos sanctus._

The chorus of voices filled his head, gave him guidance. He acquiesced in silence, and then his feet left the floor, and the light exploded inside his head now. Again, he felt someone grab his hand, something heated and heavy land on his palm, before his fingers of their own accord finally moved, gripping it tightly.

"Don't let go of it!" came the final scream-Liv's voice.

And then it was quiet. Dark.

Lonely.

He thought, just for a moment, he was back in the cellar of his family's home, even shook his wrists and his ankles to check if the old manacles were wrapped around there. But no. No slow, heavy steps signaling his father's arrival, or any tell tale crack of a whip to draw the old, familiar tingle of dread down his spine.

He opened his eyes, surprised to find light around him, containing him protectively, separating him from a vast emptiness beyond.

 _Bonnie Bonnie Bonnie Bonnie..._

He took up her name like a chant, and prayed for the first time in his godforsaken life.

Seconds or hours later-he couldn't be sure, he landed somewhere, and only his tactile sense resonated. He couldn't see or hear or smell, could barely even tell which way was up or down, only that he was on his back, on something semi-soft and shaggy.

Kai groaned, trying to roll up, but he could hardly twitch his eyelids. He heard footsteps, and then someone flicked a light on.

"Where am I?" he asked shakily, not even caring who was there.

"Mystic Falls. Sheila Bennett's cottage, to be precise."

Cold misgiving hit him, the voice he was hearing too familiar. Too...weird.

"Point me to Bonnie Bennett," he muttered, opting for the direct route, but that earned no reply.

In the pregnant silence, he sensed it. The awful tingle in his head. Great.

"What is this?" Now the lilting voice was filled to the brim with malice. "If it's someone's idea of a joke, they're falling a little flat."

Then a rush of wind, and Kai's eyes finally opened, his vision filling with the sight of his own face, but different. First, his hair was longer. Second, the black veins around his eyes, the protruding fangs glinting in the light-

Kai's magic surged out, angry, and his vampire version careened out through one window.

A woman, clad only in her underwear, blonde, leggy, and apparently also a vampire-judging by her wild, veiny eyes-rushed him, but Kai fried her brains on the spot and she fell to her knees, whimpering. Because the sight of her enraged him, her with _him_ , in Bonnie's cottage- _what the actual fuck?_ -Kai sliced at the air, and her head went flying.

He gripped the Tesseract, willing the gears to spin. No Bonnie here.

"Come on, you fucking thing, get me out of here," he muttered, his magic focusing on the device, and the gears miraculously began to spin.

Then he ate dirt, his face landing inside the fireplace, as large hands turned him and pinned him in place.

"And who are you?" asked vampire Kai, fangs growing longer.

Kai chuckled then. "Oh, man," he said, really feeling the amusement now. "Don't we have the best luck?"

His fanged self twitched a brow.

"God, where the hell are you, Bonnie?" Kai asked the ceiling, willing her to just drop into his arms from there, so he could go home and lay in bed with her for a whole goddamn month. The blonde vampire had left a bad taste in his mouth.

"So growing fangs means my taste in women goes down the drain, hmm?" he asked himself.

He dropped then, just all of a sudden, his ass hitting the floor clumsily. The vampire stepped back, reeling, like he'd just been punched in the gut.

"What did you say?" the vampire asked, visibly disturbed.

"I'll summarize: you have shit taste in women. I'm disappointed."

His hand gripped the Tesseract, his magic resuming its intent.

 _Come on come on come on..._

"Y-You keep mentioning Bonnie. What's she to you?"

"Only everything, you dumb shit," Kai snarled. The other man rushed forward with inhuman speed, slamming him against the wall. Something cracked, and Kai really hoped it was the wall and not his skull.

"She's been dead for years. What do you know? Who the hell are you?"

Oh, fuck it. He was so getting out of this shitty world.

"Nobody you need to worry about," he said, his voice going low and measured. Lightning colored his vision, the room aglow with its currents.

"What the hell-"

"Sayonara, shit for brains. Do yourself a favor. Get out of this town. No Bonnie, no point."

Then the device spun out of his reach, but he motused it back towards him.

Unfortunately, the other Kai, aside from being a vampire, seemed to retain some form of magic, because at the same time, his hand shot out and the Tesseract wobbled, veering towards the vampire.

"The hell off my toy!" Kai shouted, leaping now, at the same moment the vampire did, too.

The light encased them both.

 _Oh._

 _Wonderful._

And they both floated together, in the light tunnel, fighting over the device.

Kai had the upper hand here, he'd been on the ride before. With a mental spell, he threw the vampire off the Tesseract, and he soared higher up along the tunnel. But it didn't last long, because soon his other self used magic to bridge the gap.

"What are you?" Kai demanded, just as sharp fangs pierced his legs through his pants.

"The last face you'll ever see, asshole."

Squashing the urge to groan in pain, feeling blood dribbling down his leg, he let the spirits out to play.

His magic overtook him, raging, and for one tiny moment, the vampire at his feet gaped in awe, as electricity grabbed him in its hold, jolting him with the force of a lightning storm.

"I'm guessing," Kai said, his voice carrying with the force of his ancestors. "You don't have a coven. Or ancestral magic. Guess they didn't take to your undead makeover."

The light around them faded. Kai barely registered it, but he anticipated the next thing. When they landed this time, he did so on his feet, while the vampire fell into a thicket of trees, branches breaking under his weight before Kai heard the tell-tale thud of a body hitting the ground hard.

The disorientation hit him briefly, his magic protecting him from the brunt of it. Now he was pissed and ready to pummel everything in sight. Starting with his unwanted stowaway.

His magic lashed out, bringing the unconscious vampire to him. His neck was angled oddly, but soon when he woke, the guy was going to cause more ruckus.

He should set his ass on fire now.

And yet he didn't.

It was dark, and by the headstones scattered in every direction, they had landed in a cemetery. He walked along, scanning names, pausing briefly beside a mausoleum with a familiar surname.

 _Raymond Lockwood._

Then, a few rows down, another familiar surname.

 _Zachariah Salvatore._

Once again, they were in Mystic Falls. The Tesseract seemed to be working by materializing in the vicinity of the last known location that he'd been in. Which meant, if this was where Bonnie ended up, she'd had to have appeared somewhere around Portland.

He sighed. There was no way he had enough magic to portal himself there-

Behind him came the rustle of movement, followed instantly by a sharp gust of wind. Squinting, he let his magic erect a barrier, and the vampire collided into it, brutally, knocking himself back several feet.

Kai guffawed, pointing. "Wow, you're stupid."

His other version shot back up, features enraged as he cracked his neck. "Try saying that without your prissy little shield up."

"Okay." He let the force field down. "You. are. STUPID." Then he waved his hand in disgust at the vampire. "How the hell did you let _that_ happen to you?"

The vampire rushed him, sinking his fangs into his neck. Pain erupted out, but even more rage, his vision morphing into a haze of red. The vampire grunted, stepping back, clutching his chest, his ribcage cracking open, and through his torn shirt and skin, Kai saw muscle and bone peek through.

"I should kill you," he growled.

His vampire dupe dropped to his knees, trying to close his open chest. "Do it," his other self said, choking up a laugh. "Go on. Been waiting a while-" he stopped, grimacing in pain. "For somebody to come along-who could follow through."

That right there gave him pause. The guy sounded pathetic. Kai perched on one of the larger, taller headstones, taking a moment to just catch a breath. Mentally, he cast the spell to close the wounds on his neck, but it took double the time to take effect. The world jumping was taking its toll, probably because his magic tied into the device was now carrying two.

He studied the vampire, wondering momentarily what in his timeline had diverged from his. The moment it all went wrong. But he didn't have all night, and also needed to really get on with finding Bonnie. With a wave of his finger, the vampire's ribcage sealed back closed.

"You shouldn't have come," he muttered. "Doubt I could get you back where you belong."

"What happened? Where are we?"

At that, Kai angled his head at the vampire, eyes growing squinty in thought. His reaction to Bonnie's name earlier. Who'd been dead for a long time. And yet he stayed in her home.

"A place that might be better than where you came from," he replied.

The vampire paced restlessly, the aggression rolling off his form starting to peter out now, while his head went all around. He stopped, narrowing his eyes, and who knew what his heightened senses were taking in. He blurred out, gone from the clearing for several long moments where Kai thought that maybe the excess baggage had shed itself.

But no such luck. His vampire self reappeared once more. Shock and wonder clear in his gaze.

"Oh, is it sinking in now, Toto?" Kai taunted. "We're not in Kansas anymore."

"Is this real? Or another prison world?"

Prison world. Glancing sharply at the vampire, it clicked into place. There went one key difference. Joshua and Sheila had probably managed it with this version of himself-packing him off to an eternity of solitary confinement. No Theo Parker either, he was betting. He shouldn't even have been surprised, honestly should've picked up on it sooner. Maggie had showed him before, all those other existences where he was stuck alone in mystical time-out. Spiraling more into madness.

"Parallel universe, would be the right term. Unless everyone's evil and jailed in Mystic Falls."

"What is that device?"

"Better you don't know."

"GFY, asshole."

"See, this is how I know that between the two of us, I'm the revised and improved version. I generally don't speak in high school acronyms. Gemini leaders don't really have time for that kind of thing. But you know, have at it." He tossed an indifferent glance at the vampire. "Between burying yourself in some bimbo vamp's twat and obsessing over a girl who died years ago, you must lead a really fulfilling life, yeah?"

"She's alive here," the other Kai breathed, before wandering to a nearby headstone and dropping there unceremoniously, laying back on the cool stone and staring up at the sky.

The words settled in Kai's brain, and his mind raced anew. So that's where he'd disappeared to. Tracking down this world's Bonnie. Somewhere she was probably pattering around, safe, sound, and unaware of the possible shit storm brewing here.

"By she, I take it you mean Bonnie," he said carefully. "Where?"

"Her dad's house," the vamp said, his tone still carrying traces of disbelief. "She's been gone-for so damn long. But she looks...exactly how I remember."

In the quiet, Kai's inner voice offered up his own count. Eight days, twelve hours, thirty-five minutes was the last time he'd seen his own Bonnie.

"What happened to her in your world?" he asked, his voice gruff.

"I killed her." The vampire's laugh was empty, chilling in its hopelessness. "Not-not really intentionally. She hated me, and I was sure I returned the sentiment. We went back and forth a lot, you know? Stabbing and prison world trapping each other. It was our thing. Finally, I snapped. Got out, went after everyone, saved her for last. But I kinda thought...she wasn't really gonna die. Just wanted to fuck with her head, mostly. And her friend's. This-douchebag vampire. Seriously, you would've hated him."

"Damon." Kai shrugged, remembering how annoying he'd been, but also, that he had tried to save him, when Joshua hexed him. "I've seen worse."

The vampire's eyes went wide, before he frowned at the sky. "Whatever. Anyway, he let her die. And by the time I got my shit together, it was too late to bring her back." He snorted. "Damon showed up later, tried to tell me he planned it, that she had vampire blood in her system. He thought she'd wake back up as a vampire, and he wanted to finish turning her."

"Did she?"

The vampire grimaced. "No. It wouldn't work. Because of my hex. It just sped up her death. And her friend's. The one I linked her to. So after I set his useless ass on fire in broad daylight," the vampire said, rising to sit now, his face turning suddenly cheerful, but Kai was plenty familiar with it, the false bravado. Had mastered it himself, a long time ago. "I killed the rest of her other friends. They all sucked anyway. Secretly, I think Bonnie would've cheered."

"You're _really_ a fucking idiot," Kai said dryly. "If you believe that."

This time, the vampire said nothing, and in that he knew there was begrudging acquiescence.

"So the Bonnie you saw..." Kai tried to find the right words. "Did she look out of place? Scared or hiding?"

"Go see for yourself. I'm not your stooge."

That broke the camel's back. Kai held up his fingers, the vampire starting to choke, but his own hand shot up, and Kai's head began popping, tortuously, arteries bursting one by one and leaking blood into interstitial spaces. He retaliated by tossing mausoleums at the vampire, burying his form beneath an enormous pile of marble.

Then he found himself flying through the air, frozen in place by an unyielding, invisible grip. He glanced down.

A familiar, petite form, clad in yoga pants and a tank stared up at him in shock.

"Kai?" she breathed.

Her hair was long and straight, held up in a loose ponytail, and nothing on her face showed him the type of reaction he was longing for-no profound relief, or yearning, or wanting to get closer. Nothing that jived with his own reaction to her.

 _Not her, not mine._

But Jesus, it was still Bonnie.

He couldn't help it. He broke the hold and rushed over, hugging her.

Rigidly, she stood and let him, before her small hand reached up, then patted his back, awkward, and then she stepped away firmly.

"You're dead," she said.

He rolled his eyes. "Sure, what else is new?" He shrugged. "But obviously, I'm not that guy."

The pile of marble exploded, a figure bursting up and vamp-speeding over to them, stopping just short of Bonnie's form. Her hands were up in defense mode, ready to toss this new threat up, and then her jaw dropped, taking in his face.

"Oh, right," Kai said, then pointed to his other version, shaking his head. "He's also not that guy. But he is a vampire. Sooo, just watch your back."

Going from frowning to wide-eyed, all the while slack-jawed, she looked from one to the other, then again, and then one last time, before her mouth clicked shut. A scowl settled on her face, and she closed her eyes, nose scrunching.

So familiar, her actions and her features...but foreign. What would his Bonnie have done?

This one seemed younger, somehow.

"Okay," she muttered, pinching herself, then popping open one eye, shoulders slightly drooping with fatigue when she saw they were both still standing there. "Nope, not a dream."

"Alright there, luv?"

A blond man appeared, tall, commanding, muscular, his features blank and cold as he took in the scene.

"Yeah," she said. "I'll handle it, babe. Go back to bed. Fill you in later."

 _Babe?_

How awesome. Bonnie, clearly intimate with some random other guy. Who, by his ancient, powerful aura, was also obviously some manner of supernatural who seemed to have total faith in her ability to handle a pair of identical, strange men in the middle of the graveyard. Oh, and the unchivalrous ass also tossed out a smooth, foreign accent- _luv?_ -that probably all the women dropped their panties for.

Fucking asshat.

Suddenly, Kai didn't want to waste any more time. He eyed the vampire beside him.

"Say, Bonnie," he said conversationally, walking casually around his other version, who now had his eyes in the distance, tracking the blond loping away easily. Maybe looking for clearance to rip into his jugular. "How did I die?"

She frowned, confused momentarily when the vampire approached her.

"We taxed our magic," she said hesitantly, voice turning low and gravel-like as her gaze stuck on the other Kai, now stepping way into her personal space. "Um, so officially, who are you two?"

"Kai Parker. Different worlds. I turned into a vampire years ago. He turned into a-smug douchey coven leader." The vampire was equally enthralled, his gaze roaming her features. "You said 'we.' Were we fighting each other?"

"No, the heretics. You let them out, after-after I trapped you. And we did fight at some point before the big battle-actually, we kicked each other's asses pretty bad," she stopped, her face turned aside, lost in thought. "Somehow we got over it, and you helped us."

"We got...over it?"

"And we beat them. But we both died." Then her eyes filled with remorse, her voice dropping low with the patented Bennett guilt that Kai knew well. "My friends found a coven to try resurrection..in the end, they could only bring one of us back."

The vampire's hand reached out then, fingering a strand of hair falling on her cheek. Bonnie, surprisingly, let him. Also shocking, mystery blond _Babe_ was nowhere in sight to rip off his other version's touchy-feely fingers.

Kai stepped further away, chanting mentally, the Tesseract sparking to life in his hands.

"I'd say your friends made the right call, for once," drawled his other self, inching even closer to her.

Smooth. Really.

And because they were too distracted to notice, Kai managed to disappear into a tunnel of light without getting disrupted. He left his stowaway behind, not at all burdened by any sense of guilt. He'd done the jerk a huge favor. Hopefully the guy had learned from his stupidity from years back.

Now he needed to find the real Bonnie.

Because it was clear, looking at the other version of her and his vampire self, that any pairs of themselves out there in existence really fucking needed to give it a shot, taking on the world together. No matter what the hell twisted past they shared, no matter what insane lives they led.

* * *

* _Permissio:_ permission.

* _Quoniam tu solos sanctus_ : you alone.

A/N: Thanks so much for the feedback, everyone. Much appreciated, and hopefully this chapter perked you up just a little. It's pretty fun writing all these alt-versions. We'll get a glimpse what's happening with Bonnie next chapter. Til next week, folks! :)


	32. Chapter 32

**_A/N: Hi guys! I didn't intend to publish this chapter yet, but saw that removing the old chapters apparently alerted you guys on an update. I had no idea it would do that. Then I figured it'd be fine, I'll just update when I got to it, but then the reviews came in and * whoapanic * lol...Sorry for the false alarm! Rewrite in this chapter is towards the end, if you guys want to skip there. I'm overhauling everything from the last 10 chapters and trimming the fat on this story. _**

**_So, about the later part of the chapter with the rewrite: I'm trying to follow TVD S8 storyline with Sybil and the whole hell thing, but I made a couple tweaks. Reason being, I was hitting a brick wall with this fic, and the siren's mindtrips offered me a neat solution. Lot less convoluted than the pretzel piece I was making of the plot._**

 _CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO_

Her grandmother had never been the baking type, but she'd had a weakness for pastries that Bonnie had also inherited. A few sessions with Elena's neglected Easy-Bake oven, and Bonnie at nine years old realized the kiddie toy wasn't enough. When she brought home the cookies to her dad and her grandmother, they'd been easy to talk into letting her throw on oven mitts to mess with the real thing. Grams, especially, had been pretty damn thrilled.

She still remembered clearly all those afternoons in Grams' kitchen, trying not to laugh at \the old woman's inability to squeeze icing properly onto a single cupcake.

She watched her through a pair of binoculars now, looking into the enormous bay window. Grams was failing spectacularly once more, this version of her grayer, wearing a few more laugh lines around her mouth and crinkles at the corner of her eyes. Which were filled with affection, as she and the Bonnie in this world, bickered over how to decorate the homemade cake.

In the room behind the women, a pair of smaller heads ran around, one of them-a little boy-sneaking into the kitchen to swipe at icing off the corner of the cake. The other Bonnie gave a mock frown, then ruffled his hair before he scampered away,

The sight brought her hand holding the binoculars down.

Bonnie shifted in her position. Her legs were starting to cramp, a sign that she'd been there, once again, for too long.

Day eight in this parallel world, still no sign of her magic coming out to play, although deep in her bones it thrummed, muted and at times barely even registering, no matter how hard she tried to center herself and reach for calm. Meditating and yoga posing and feeling in general, how Liv had once termed it-that one time Bonnie tried to get her to channel Expression, just so her friend could see what she was missing out on.

 _Like trying to shit bricks._

Magic definitely had taken a leave of absence in this universe. Small wonder Tariq had picked up a one-way ticket here for Joshua.

At the thought, the smile she wore watching her grandmother quickly fell. She still hadn't found him here, and she'd scoured the entire area around the resort, before making her way into Portland city limits. Her initial fear that he'd died had faded away-no body, no proof, at least that's how she kept herself from losing hope-and now she was almost sure he'd only been pulled from the Tesseract, making his landing here in this world.

After her own arrival, an hour had been enough to shake off the dizziness and nausea, a task made harder without magic to fall back on and accelerate the recovery. That first night, Bonnie had camped out in an empty hotel room, the lodge that magic had demolished in her world standing perfectly intact and peaceful here.

Thank God for friends, because the tricks she'd learned about breaking into locked rooms (Jeremy) and hotwiring cars (Stefan) had saved her ass in the last week.

The first night-a rough blur, and even now she couldn't remember everything that passed, except that she'd found a bed and huddled under the covers because no matter what, she just felt cold. Empty.

Losing access to magic, but more-losing _him_...

But the next morning, she'd pulled herself together because things needed doing. Joshua had to be found.

She'd collected water bottles from the mini bar and a few snacks, and then broken into the utility closets, finding spare staff uniforms there. Then she'd hitched a ride with one of the groundskeepers heading into the city, and from there had hit up pawn shops, trading in her earrings and one of her bracelets for several hundred dollars that she hoped would get her by for a little bit. The shop happened to sell a variety of knick knacks and the owner had thrown in a pair of binoculars that she'd kept glancing at, knowing it would come of use for any long distance spying to track down Joshua.

Her first stop had been on the outskirts of the suburbs that housed the Parker family home. Here, no magic cloaked it. The large, sunny home stood invitingly cheerful, and she waited a few hours, her car parked at a distance, thinking this was the place to find Joshua, assuming his automatic reflex would be to seek the familiar in a strange new world.

When a car pulled up in the afternoon, and Kai stepped out of it, Bonnie's heart had fallen into seizures.

Right away, she'd known it wasn't Joshua.

The small streak of silver lining his hair at the temples, his trousers and button down shirt with the tie loosened and the sleeves rolled up-he looked every bit like a man coming home from a day at the office, ready to unwind.

That she would find him older in this universe had never once crossed her mind, but of course it made sense. No magic, no pocket world to keep him from aging.

He wore the years well-no, who was she kidding? This Kai could easily pass as the next candidate for James Bond. Everything she found attractive about him amplified by the smooth confidence of a man well into his prime.

Shell-shocked and still inside the car even when he'd disappeared inside the home, Bonnie had barely started processing this-had been fighting off her own grief welling up, thinking her Kai had been robbed of this, would forever stay in her mind unwrinkled, ungrayed-when a SUV arrived, parking next to his car.

Two women emerged from that, and then a pair of small kids-and then Kai had stepped on to the porch, grinning at the group as he met them halfway.

The women's faces turned, giving Bonnie a better view-

And she lost her breath.

She was looking at herself, standing next to Grams, both women smiling as Kai grabbed the children into a hug and hauled them under each arm like a pair of footballs.

He'd given her grandmother a peck on the cheek, before leaning towards her other version.

Through the binoculars, Bonnie caught the warm, lingering look passing between them, although in front of Grams, all they did was manage a quick kiss on the lips, before he went inside the house with the kids, and she went back to the car to grab shopping bags from the trunk.

Bonnie hadn't budged from where she'd parked for hours, staring up at the house with the cheery lights peeking out from the windows, brightening the darkening street.

Then she'd come back the next day, just to confirm what she'd witness, that it hadn't been a dream. And watched the mini-reunion play out again. This time the other Bonnie and Kai free to indulge because her grandmother wasn't around, and the kids had all rushed inside the house.

On the porch, his hands held her waist tightly, the fervor in their kiss prolonged, the kind reserved for lovers in their honeymoon phase. At the end of it, Kai's hand slipped to cup the other Bonnie's ass, and through the binoculars she caught the pinch he gave.

She also got a closer view of the weddings bands on both their ring fingers, not identical but somehow matched anyway. And the children were toddler-age.

This version of them had been married for at least a few years.

The next day, Bonnie came back, and the next day after that. Studied the little ones more thoroughly on her next visits-the girl with storm cloud eyes, the boy with forest green, both their hair riotous waves of brown and their skin a lighter gold than her own. Cute, happy kids, who ran around and bickered and left their parents rolling their eyes a lot.

One afternoon, a few of Kai's siblings had appeared, bearing gifts for the kids and bagfuls of takeout, that her other self had gratefully accepted. When Kai arrived, they'd all tucked into the meal, and Bonnie had been prepared to spend the rest of the evening watching the extended family bonding and dying a little inside, but in a good way.

But it was cut short, when her other version headed out, arms loaded with books and folders, looking harried while she rushed into the car. Kai had stopped her, a small cooler bag in his hands that he passed to her through the open window of the driver's seat. They'd shared another kiss there, and when he didn't seem willing to step away from his wife, she'd pushed him off, laughing at the offended look he gave her before the car backed out.

It'd taken a lot not to indulge in a wish to take over where her other self had left off.

Objectively, she knew she was really screwing with her own mind, stalking them this way.

Now, she watched her grandmother, her visit to the happy family inciting waves of feeling that wrecked Bonnie all over again, but also got her to thinking-it wouldn't be too hard, spending the rest of her life this way. On this world. Living vicariously through her other self.

She'd found an abandoned vehicle off one of the quieter roads one day and had kept an eye on it. The next day, it was still there, and logic prompted her to override the sense of guilt of taking what wasn't hers. The car no longer seemed like something the owner wanted, so she made use of the bit of hotwiring she and Caroline had picked up from Stefan, then tinkered with a few of the fuses (also courtesy of Stefan), and filled the tank with gas, driving haphazardly without plates until she found fake ones at a novelty store in the city. The car was on its last legs, but would serve until-

Who knew.

Having it had saved her a lot of expenses. She'd taken to overnighting in it at rest areas along the highway, or at the parking lots of the larger chain hotels.

Soon, she'd need to find a nearby home to break into. A few were up for sale, a couple streets away. Just sitting empty.

A hazy new plan formed in her mind, when she drove home that night. Joshua briefly flitted across her thoughts, but it no longer held any urgency.

She'd get to it eventually.

 **I - I - I**

He'd landed in so many worlds that he was sure his count was off.

When he found himself surrounded by hostile faces, the sea of magic around him threatening to drown his own, he'd automatically gone on the defense, too tired to try reason.

No other options here, except to attack.

At the front of the crowd, Lucy Bennett of all people, stood with a short brunette woman, holding hands with her, drawing on their coven's combined essences, ready to unleash their full power against him.

Somehow, he'd landed in the middle of their gathering, and apparently in this world, Lucy was the type to attack first and ask questions later, and he'd run out of patience to emit 'I come in peace' vibes.

Kai's mental incantation wove around the room, drawing oxygen out. The witches around him started coughing, grabbing at their throats.

 _"Phesmatos constato,"_ rang the familiar voice. Everyone slumped down on the ground, passed out but breathing peacefully, including Lucy.

Her younger cousin sauntered into the room, looking totally unbothered as she stepped around them, even smiling to herself and rolling her eyes. Somehow, she'd recognized his spell and tweaked it quickly, to suit her needs. He was mighty impressed already.

"Excuse their manners," Bonnie said brightly. "We don't get a lot of new faces here."

But when this version turned her smile at him, he knew it was all wrong.

The same beautiful face, with those upturned lips that always distracted him in a really bad way, but the eyes were off.

"Sure, yeah," he said, feigning nonchalance himself when she stopped before him.

Malice glinted from those green depths, as they raked over his own face.

"Have we met?" she asked.

"No," he said faintly, his skin prickling at the nauseating waves of power rolling off her form.

"You're lying," she said, pouting slightly now. "Hate that. Kitty, tell him."

Confused, he wondered who she was talking to, when Elena blurred up before them to stand beside the petite witch who was now inspecting the device in Kai's hand.

"She really does," said Elena, flicking her long curls over her shoulder, casting him a slightly curious look, even while she let dark veins creep around her eyes and fangs glint out menacingly. "I mean, I do it all the time, but we're sorta friends. You, she doesn't know. Do it again and you'll die. Messy."

Bonnie threw him an innocent glance. "Go ahead," she cajoled. "Do it again."

"Now now, Bon Bon. Maybe we can recruit him. Don't you want to at least try?"

"Can't break him," Bonnie said, coolly now while she reached with magic for the Tesseract, but he pulled back and she sighed, her features growing merciless. "You know the drill, Kitty. Drain him and bag him. I can scoop up his magic later." Then she cut a quick, assessing glance at Kai. "Never learned to share your toys?"

"Maybe if you ask nice," he murmured. _"Bon Bon."_

Elena-no, Kitty, or whoever the hell she was-widened her eyes, amusement filling them when Bonnie scowled at him.

"This one's got promise," she said, nudging Bonnie. "Sure you want to get rid of him? Your cousin could get her hooks in him instead. Wouldn't want that."

"Hurry it up, you two," said another voice, a tall brunette striding into the room with a frown on her face as she took in the unconscious witches. "Lucy's not going to stay down long. Damon will be here soon, too."

The other woman snorted. "Good. Been itching to snap his neck again."

"Not what we're here for, mother."

Then the tall woman stalked up to Kai, all business. "Friend or foe?" she asked.

"She's wavering," Kitty said, smirking at Bonnie.

"Foe," Bonnie muttered. "And I wasn't."

The other woman shrugged. "Have it your way," she said dismissively, before her hand shot up, wrapping around Kai's neck. "Don't take it personally, but she's the boss."

"Wait!"

"Nadia, what-"

The third woman peered closer at him. "Seen his face before," she said, then turned to Bonnie. "You can't sense it?"

Bonnie cast a dark look at her. "Of course I can. That's why he needs to go. He's trouble."

"He's a Gemini, Bonnie. The Travelers, we can-"

"Too risky, Nadia. He won't help us."

When it appeared the other two women still wanted to argue it, Bonnie suddenly chanted, her friends vanishing quickly. She sighed again. "Ever feel like you have to do everything yourself?" she asked him, her tone a conspiratorial whisper.

"Always," he returned, then grabbed her because he couldn't help it, he fucking missed Bonnie, and this one seemed too broken, maybe in need of a reminder that her humanity-no matter how deeply buried, needed only a little prodding to get her back on track.

He kissed her gently, his fingers tangled in her hair. Her automatic response was to knee him in the groin and set his hand afire, but he held on, brushing her mouth with his, even as he started the spell to port her out of the room, away from the effects of the Tesseract that shook to life in his fingers as they blistered from her magic.

Just before she disappeared completely, he said, "Start in Portland. If I'm there, you could probably talk me into helping." Or his other self could talk her _out_ of whatever potentially bad plans she had. Hopefully his version here wasn't unhinged, to counter how far from good this Bonnie seemed.

He winked at her, right when the spell took her away. The Tesseract flared out in the same moment, then he too was gone, riding the light tunnel for the gazillionth time, felt like.

His hand still raw from the burns, he cast yet another healing spell, waiting for its effects to hit and gritting his teeth from the pain of skin weaving back into place.

It wasn't the first time a version of her had attacked him, but definitely his first tangle with a slightly evil Bonnie wasn't the kind of encounter he could easily shake off.

He'd found himself in Mystic Falls each time, most of them routine, a variation of Bonnie with her friends, or with her family, or-to his complete distaste-with another man. Those luckily didn't happen often. In others, she was absent completely, either dead, or in the happier scenarios, just somewhere else in the world. Those took the longest, the the locator spell he used to track down his Bonnie sometimes mistakenly pointing to her other versions. He had to port himself wherever she was, to get a glimpse and make sure he wasn't missing her. Shredding his sanity to pieces each time he did find her, caught between the growing reluctance to leave any version of her but also the need to see the real her, the one who belonged home with him.

Other times-the best ones, really, were when he found both her with his counterparts. Those pairs usually contentious, a few of them outright homicidal towards each other. But more often than not, allied in some way. A lot of the other Kais even went on the defense, protecting her without hesitation from someone they considered an imposter. Never mind that he tried to signal no harm. It never helped, his alternate versions bursting into violence anytime he got near Bonnie. Even the ones that seemed ready to kill her themselves.

Their reactions filled him with hope, each time.

But it also killed him, those worlds.

Looming over his head was the sense of being close to his own Bonnie, but at this point, his body was ready to shut down. When that time came, she would need to be back in his arms, or no telling what the fuck he'd end up doing.

The light faded once more.

This time when he landed, someone caught him. Strong, cold hands clenching around his arms, hard enough to bruise.

Disoriented, it came to him in stages. Pale eyes, homicidal glower, and a wave of unmistakable hybrid essence, fairly punching him in the gut.

"Who. Are. You?" demanded Klaus Mikaelson.

"Fancy meeting you here," Kai japed, throwing him a cheery smile.

All it earned him was a growl, as the hybrid flung him into the air.

He caught himself before his back broke, but Klaus sped up, yanking his ankle as he hovered mid-air and ready to toss him face-first into the ground. Kai used the momentum and magic to vanish before impact, reappearing behind Klaus, knocking him onto the ground. In a millisecond, he was back up, the hybrid's face morphing, fangs gleaming sharp. He lunged at Kai, fist formed and ready to punch a hole through his face, but Kai vanished out of his grip.

"Show yourself, coward!"

"Okey-dokey."

Kai appeared right beside him, quickly gripping the other man's head and twisting viciously. The crack echoed around the woods while he leaned down on his knees, gathering his bearings.

Klaus lay in a heap on the ground.

It wouldn't last long, he knew from experience that the original would recuperate faster than other vampires.

"Malachai?"

When he turned, it was slowly, a little disbelieving because-nah, it coudn't be. He hadn't heard that voice in ages.

"What on earth are you doing?"

His mother stood frowning in disapproval, hands on her hips. He stared, transfixed by the lean face now more lined, the auburn hair now just slightly faded. She had the same slightly overwhelmed expression that he remembered from childhood, except now her eyes were completely missing that haunted look that had been ever-present.

Beside her was another woman he never expected to see again, and who, even more surprisingly, beamed with a fair amount of approval at him-Sheila Bennett.

"Didn't I tell you to try to play nice?" Sheila said in her familiar lilting Southern accent.

"Clearly, he has a listening problem," said a blonde woman, striding forward from behind Sheila, throwing him a tight glare as she walked to where Klaus lay.

"And Niklaus is the model of good behavior?" Madeline shot back, not at all missing a beat even while she continued pursing her mouth disappointedly at Kai.

He picked up a clue, and sidled towards her and Bonnie's grandmother, careful not to turn his back on the other two.

"You were supposed to be here yesterday," Sheila muttered.

Nothing he could say to that, so he merely shrugged. "Whoops."

"In your place, I had to send Stefan to Rudy's." Then she sighed. "Probably a better idea, anyway. Least I can trust him not to scare Bonnie off."

"Is there a reason why you felt the need to break my son's neck?" demanded the blonde woman, inspecting the prone figure.

He blinked, biting down on his mouth. Now would be a good time for the device to poof him out, but it merely quivered in his hands. He needed a few more minutes.

"I take the blame," Sheila said. "I should've warned Niklaus that this one likes to sneak up and catch everyone off guard."

"If we're to arrive at any sort of truce between our families-"

"Oh, give it a rest, Esther," said Madeline crossly. "We're already getting the short straw here, all to fix the disaster you created."

"Perhaps it wouldn't have come to that, if you'd been more forthcoming." She snorted in disgust. "Passing Abigail off as the last of your line. Your granddaughter will be in for quite the surprise."

"No," Sheila said, steel in her voice. "She won't. We all agreed not to let her know. The ritual doesn't need her to-"

"Yes, yes. But in case things turn out differently, I suggest you be honest. Aren't you a Bennett? Whatever happened to those shiny morals you all like to display like badges?"

Kai's brows rose at that, but he schooled his face into neutrality.

Who knew what the hell was happening here, exactly, except that it involved some seriously ancient, powerful families, and a clueless Bonnie right in the middle of it. And him, too, but just where the fuck the Kai that belonged to this world was at the moment was anyone's guess. Maybe he'd done himself a favor and skipped town. Or found Bonnie first, and was convincing her, even while these two matriarchs bickered, to stay out of this shit storm.

He started easing away from the pair, but another set of hands landed on his shoulders, clapping heavily there. "And just where are you running off to?" asked the new arrival.

When he turned and found his grandfather eyeing him, Kai was ready to find a seat and stay there for hours, for lack of feeling in his legs.

Unwittingly, a ripple of his magic coursed through him as he peered intently into Theo's face. The older man frowned, his eyes drifting to where Esther stood still yammering incessantly about the ill treatment her family didn't deserve. His grandfather's eyes rolled quickly up, before he threw Kai a rueful grin that disappeared just as quickly, when Madeline Parker strode forward.

She pointed an accusatory finger at his grandfather. "This is your doing entirely. You've been far too lax with him since you both returned."

Then she whirled to leave, but before doing so, quickly turned back to Kai, giving him a hug. "Next time," came her aggrieved whisper. "Ring the doorbell, son." Then glowered once more at the old man before leaving for good.

Jesus Effing Christ. He'd never imagined tripping into the Tesseract would bring him to this moment, facing the flesh-and-bone ghosts of family long gone in his world.

Kai's mind spun, even as his steps brought him further away from the group.

Sheila noticed, raising her brows coolly. "Still trying to escape?"

His brain wracked for an excuse. "Famished," he tried, pointing in the direction of the house. "Got any decent homemade grub?"

To his utter amazement, Sheila gave him an exasperated smile, waving him away. "Loot the leftovers in the fridge. Get Niklaus a blood bag while you're at it."

Esther puffed up in anger then. "My son needs human susten-"

"A rabbit, then?" Theo asked. "Or a raccoon. Kai will have better luck catching those."

Esther stilled, then sniffed. "A bloodbag will do."

Kai made his way towards the house, but instead of going inside, went around to the front, checking that it was all clear, before the Tesseract caught him in its grip once more. He didn't want to fucking stay here. It boggled his mind too much, and if he was around his grandfather, his mother, and even Sheila Bennett any longer, he'd want to pull them all inside the device with him, and take them as permanent hostages into his world. Not really the best idea.

But before he disappeared, he peeked around, catching one last glimpse of his mother through one of the windows, then of his grandfather slowly walking towards the Mikaelsons, that old look of pleasant mockery crossing his features.

Kai didn't think it was possible for anyone to rip his own heart out of his chest, but that was essentially what he did, just then, leaving his grandfather behind without another word.

"Twenty-third time's the charm," he muttered, closing his eyes for a rest, and letting Bonnie drift foremost to mind.

 **I - I - I**

Seventeen hours, was how much time had passed since Kai left to get Bonnie back. Too long, in other words, but not much anyone could really do, except wait.

Waiting...he sucked at.

Tyler paced the length of the room. Bonnie's cottage was on the smaller side of cozy, and pretty much the anti-thesis of the Lockwood mansion that sprawled endlessly for what seemed like miles, its walls exuding money and history and not much else. It was cold there-or had been, until Liv's arrival. Slowly, gloomy portraits were replaced by pop art paintings and vinyl records in their display cases that for some reason, she liked hanging on walls instead of organizing into shelves.

Piece by piece, the rooms were slowly warming under her touch but it would probably take some time before the mansion really became inviting.

Here in Bonnie's home, none of that was lacking. It exuded all the friendliness that soothed him, reminding him of his friend. That she needed to get home soon, to relax and hopefully never be bothered again by him or Liv, or any damn thing, for at least a year.

And he wasn't going to call Kai 'bro' or anything anytime soon, but he'd earned that rest right along with Bonnie.

If they both would just pop back in, and get to it-would be great.

Three pairs of eyes bore a hole into his skull, but he ignored it, just like he did their conversation.

"-chances that the council appointment can be overturned?" Abigail asked of Liv.

"Slim to none. Really up to Bonnie. Me, I think it's good."

Lucy snorted. "Sure, your big bro and your best friend on hand to keep the rest of your coven from piling back onto the anti-werewolf wagon? Good for you, but not necessarily for my cousin."

"No, hear me out." It came as a small shock, how Liv let Lucy's comment slide, but maybe-just maybe-ticking any of the Bennetts off right now wasn't the best thing. One because they'd done one of their members wrong-their own damn friend-and two, because they were fucking Bennetts. Liv was a kick-ass witch in her right, but he'd heard enough stories about Lucy from Bonnie. The woman had run with Katherine Pierce. 'Nuff said.

"A week ago, my crazy ass dad had plans to overthrow Kai. Most of the coven never wanted that. Thanks to one person, not only did that not happen, but we got to clean house. Without really getting any of our hands dirty."

Liv leaned back, face grim, and Tyler walked up then to join the discussion.

"Not saying it's good she stay on the council," Liv continued. "But the ball's in her court here. Almost never happens in my coven. They don't like outsiders calling the shots, but in Bonnie's case, they'd be stupid not to."

"I don't want her exploited," Abigail said sharply. "She's had enough of that."

Liv turned shame-faced, and Tyler nodded gamely, taking the hit.

Abigail leaned forward. "I'm not talking about you both, but her other friends-"

"Oh, you mean the ones who just crossed an _ocean_ to go fight winged _serpents_ haunting foggy ass castles in the middle of _nowhere_ , to get the ingredients for the spell that'd bring Bonnie back?"

The derisive voice carried from the entrance. They all turned, seeing four vampires standing there, two hunters, Matt, Maggie Durant, Tariq, and Luke. All of them twenty shades of haggard, and even more levels of pissed.

Damon strode forward, maniacal light in his eyes as he held up a cylindrical see-through object, and offered it up to them. "The exploitative friends, who gave up tiny little pieces of themselves to feed a goddamn _soul-eater_ -yes, there's such a thing, boys and girls-just to retrieve this piece of crap that ended up-" he stopped, setting the cylinder on their table, "funny enough, _already emptied_. Those friends? Us?"

Elena crossed her arms, doing nothing to stop Damon even though he looked about an inch from feeding on everyone non-vampire in the room.

"Yes, you lot." Abigail just quirked a brow at the latest guests. "Sit your asses down, all of you. Damon, I recommend you take the seat furthest away from me if you have any desire at all to keep your head attached to your neck."

Damon snarled, but Stefan and Caroline grabbed his arms, holding him. And then, oddest thing of all, the older Salvatore shrugged them both off and disappeared into the kitchen. When he came back, it was with the bottle of bourbon from Bonnie's wine rack. Abigail watched him calmly, as he settled into the chair at the far corner, by the bookshelves.

Luke walked casually forward then, and Tyler's eyes widened at the cold smile he wore as he settled into the chair beside Liv.

"Figured out what you and Kai were up to," he said easily. "Can I just say, you both are idiots?"

Maggie sighed. "Lucas, not precisely the best approach-"

"No?" He shrugged. "Astoundingly _huge_ idiots. That better?"

Jeremy had pulled up a chair for Maggie, and she dropped in it gratefully, while she struggled to reply before she, too, lifted her shoulders daintily. "Why not? I quite agree, anyway."

"What're you guys talking about?" Tyler demanded.

"Oh, merely that if Malachai had just waited for me to finish what I had promised to do, we could have pulled Bonnie back from limbo without anyone of us having to go into the Tesseract ourselves. And also, minimizing the side effects of the world-jumping. Which will hit them quite hard, once they return."

Liv's jaw dropped, as Lucy and Abigail both closed their eyes in consternation. Tyler shot to his feet, pacing again and wishing he had an excuse to go full-wolf once more. He needed to eat a fucking deer right then.

"That's not the worst part," Alaric said, his face creased in concern.

Luke slapped his thigh, still mockingly cheery. "That's right! It's not. Tariq, you're a man of few words. The side effects. Spell it out for them."

The old man moved carefully closer, his cane tapping sharply against the wood. "Neuro deficits."

Tyler grabbed his face, groaning. "Dammit, Liv. I told you to ask Maggie for help!"

God, he hated being right. It was always a bad thing, every time.

It did her in completely. For the first time since meeting her, his new bride burst into tears. And if he'd been just a little more in touch with his femininity instead of the animal inside him, Tyler almost would have done the same.

 **I - I - I**

The home was off-the-beaten-path charming, less than fourteen hundred square feet of mostly wood frame, with a small porch out front and a back patio that overlooked a pond. Three bedrooms, two baths, and everything outdated. It had great bones, though, but the fifties-style kitchen and bathroom cabinetry left it languishing on the market for months. But behind the pond was a conservation, and Bonnie liked to trek deep into it, losing herself in the quiet and lush forest that reminded her, funny enough, of the vacation brochures of Yellowstone and Yosemite that sat in her desk drawer, put aside after she'd agreed to help Liv and Tyler.

In an odd way, she'd found the perfect house for her, and with no neighbors for an acre on either side, it was almost no trouble at all, slipping her way inside the home using a special set of lock picks she'd tracked down at a shadier pawn shop from another nearby town.

She'd replenished her dwindling funds trading in the earrings she'd worn for the wedding, diamond studs she'd bought on a whim, cajoled by Elena and Caroline to splurge the last time she'd earned a raise. Socking it away in the savings or spending it on herbs, arcane texts, or other astronomically expensive mystical ingredients having lost its usual appeal that one time. So on a whim, she'd bought them from the local jewelers, along with a charm bracelet.

Now the earrings had just bought her another week to figure out what the hell she'd do with the rest of her life on an earth that had no place for her.

She sat in the kitchen, eating the slice of pizza and trying to dwell longer on thoughts of her friends. Lately, she'd stopped thinking so much about them. Most of the time, her mind was stuck on the family that lived a few blocks over.

Right about now, Kai was getting the kids ready for their baths and bedtime, while Bonnie Bennett-Parker was on her way home from teaching a class at the university.

Not occult studies, she'd found out, but criminal psych.

Figured. What was it they said-the more things changed, the more they stayed the same...no magical foes or action here, so what did her counterpart search for, but the seedier aspects of human nature to explore.

Bonnie sighed now, dropping her pizza half-eaten on her plate, turning her attention to the newspaper and the crossword she had yet to finish. One clue still evading her.

Thirteen down, two words, fifteen letters: _Spit it out, says Madge._

Still stumped ten minutes later, she wandered over to the back patio, contemplating the small pond there and the conservation behind it. Grabbing the atlas and a breadstick, she stalked through the yard, distractedly feeding the small family of ducks waddling by the pond, before she disappearing into the greenery.

It failed to hold her interest long. Going over what amounted to a truly half-assed effort on her part to find Joshua, she glanced at the atlas with growing dismay. All she'd drawn were the points where the lodge stood, the Parker family home, and the Gemini compound, which she had found in this world was being used as sublet office spaces. Triangulating an area, but without much details on how to go about it.

She had almost nothing to go on and even less inclination, and the thought of finding him, even accidentally, seeing Kai's face-

Covering her face briefly, she swallowed down the lump in her throat, and made her way back to the house.

It didn't get easier.

How deep her misery went was beyond her ability to grasp, because she'd only known him two damn days. Losing Grams, and her father, and Jeremy, although she'd brought him back-those didn't pale in comparison, they had shattered her also.

But this was different.

The loss so much worse, because she and Kai had only just begun, barely grazed the tip of the iceberg, really.

Carefully, she placed the atlas on the patio table, trying not to rend it in pieces.

"Fuck you, Joshua," she muttered, and went back inside to finish her pizza.

Only to find her half-eaten slice-gone. Even the crust. Wrinkling her brow in confusion, she could stare at the crumbs on her plate and think that her mental state was further south than she'd anticipated. She didn't even remember finishing it.

Then, next to it, her eyes caught on the newspaper, and the pen tossed across it, instead of laid beside it, like she'd done. On instinct, her gaze flew to the last few boxes she'd left unfilled.

But now, those spaces were no longer blank. Thirteen down, two words, fifteen letters: _Spit it out, says Madge._

Written in neat, even print-not her own-was the answer: _**Express Yourself.**_

"Bon?"

Under her ribcage, something stuttered. Slowly, she turned, glancing up-

And found a tall form, in jeans, a t-shirt, and a dark coat, weary face intent on hers.

Dumbfounded, she gazed at him.

His brows raised in hope, mouth slightly working, like he was unsure what to say next and just trying to gauge her reaction.

Her brain went into overdrive. She slammed down on the overwhelming need to run to him. He was too young, no gray on his temples, so not this world's Kai. Which left Joshua.

And her without magic, with nothing on hand at all to defend herself. Not even a damn butter knife-all she had lying around were plastic sporks still in their bagging from the Chinese takeout last night. They still rested on the table, and she grabbed one, unwrapping it to hold out threateningly, feeling both stupid and desperate.

"Stay back," she warned.

He stopped his approach instantly, his hands held up. "Bonnie, I-" he stopped, and his throat worked as his eyes turned pleading, but she kept moving backwards. "Not here to hurt you, but just tell me this-do you know who I am?"

His tone of voice stopped her then, his low, lilting tone sounding so much like Kai and not Joshua that she wished for a moment that he was dead, after all. Unbidden, hot tears filled her eyes.

"You're a monster," she whispered brokenly. "Kai should've killed you."

His face fell then, the sudden change spurring her to movement again, but he was quick, and crossed the room in three strides. "I did, Bonnie. Pulled him out of the Tesseract and stabbed him with a live wire."

He drew short at the weapon she held out, poking roughly into his shirt. His hands reached out, pulling at the spork, the expression he wore morphing once again, this time into a look of amusement.

"Really?" he drawled, quirking a brow at her.

Confused, exhaustion from out of nowhere settled over her, and she halfheartedly stabbed him with the plastic utensil. He started chuckling, and even when she shoved him, he didn't stop. She turned to run, but he caught her arm, pulling her back, and when she fell against his chest, found his grip immovable while his rumble of laughter vibrated through her body.

All of it familiar, and sweet, and-

She dared a look up. His face was close, gray eyes brimming with relief and other emotions that she was damn sure Joshua Parker wasn't capable of feeling-or if he was, definitely not for her.

"So that's it," she whispered to herself. "I've lost my mind."

His hand cupped her face, the pad of his thumb caressing her cheeks. "It's you."

"You're not real." Her own fingers went up, tracing the short beard growing along his jaw.

"Wanna bet?"

His head bent slowly, his eyes on hers the entire time. A part of her didn't want this-another of Joshua's tricks, and her too weak to fight it because this had been a really shitty week in her life, possibly the shittiest and oh, God, she missed Kai. Who was here, somehow. Joshua pretending to be him, or simply as a hallucination.

All these thoughts, whirling through her mind, keeping her from closing the tiny hairbreadth distance between them. They shared breaths, their lips teasing each other.

"Stop thinking so much," he whispered. "It's me, Bonnie."

She drew back slightly, brows slashing down, but his hands erased the distance, drawing her in again.

"Totally getting in the way of our epic reunion."

Spurring her mental agreement. She inhaled, taking in the hints of sweat and outdoors that clung to him, mixed with his familiar scent.

If this was insanity, she was all in. Closing her eyes, dropping her head to rest on his chest, she wrapped her hands around and squeezed tightly to match his own hold on her.

"Hate that you're dead." Her voice was muffled against his shirt.

"Thanks, sweet of you. But, ya know, funny thing? I'm actually not."

The tears filled her eyes again. She sniffled, rubbing her face on his shirt. "Sorry about the snot," she whispered, and gave into a small sob.

He laughed again, tipping her chin up.

"You're wrecking me here, Bon. Now _I_ feel like mourning."

He kissed her, even while one of her tears rolled down to trap between their lips. She tasted salty water mixed with Kai and sighed, profoundly content right in that moment.

Their kiss deepened, her back hitting the sliding glass door. Without any effort, the atmosphere changed. If there'd been magic in this world, it might've already coated the walls and flickered the lights into sporadic function. Her hands moved past his coat, under his shirt, and he winced, chuckling again without breaking the kiss. She lay her cold fingers against the heat of his skin on his stomach. His laugh turned into a groan when her hand dipped lower, slid under his jeans, tugging.

He turned frenzied after that, his fingers tearing the buttons off her shirt. The ones she'd arrived with in this world were still drying on a hanger in the closet. She had spent the entire time washing her clothes the old fashioned way, too broke to go to a laundry mat or buy a spare set of underwear. They weren't necessities.

His eyes grew dazed at her bare breasts, then turned knowing, as he slid her pants off.

"Wow," he mouthed silently, before he cleared his throat, adding aloud. "So, have I mentioned that you're kinda my dreamgirl?"

"No money for extra underwear, I had go commando," she punctuated the comment with a shrug, a little embarrassed.

His nostrils flared out, and he attacked her, biting and licking his way around her body. She arched into him, her own hands greedy, manic in their quest to feel every part of him exposed to her. She pushed his clothes off impatiently, squeezing the muscles on his arms and back before running her fingers down his torso to shove his boxers and jeans down. She rubbed his erection, just when his fingers slid inside her. Her eyes fluttered closed at his deft touch.

Their moans and the sound of their bodies bumping against the glass reached her ears, but distantly, as if this was a dream-but if it was, she would fight its end. His tongue laved around her nipples while his other hand helped her kick one of her legs loose from her jeans, which stayed attached to one ankle. His own were only partway off, but he maneuvered it fine, cupping her ass tightly.

He lifted her. She wrapped her legs around hurriedly, her arms gripping his shoulders. When he entered her, she pinched into his skin on reflex, coaxing a growl from him.

Their coupling went rough and quick, fueled by a little disbelief and more desperation. She kept her eyes on him, searching his face for signs of what, she couldn't fully process just then, except that the way he moved inside her was too...right. The tension between them too familiar and aching in the way that always drove her mad. This was no dream or hallucination.

"Kai," she gasped. "Prove it."

His tongue stroked hers fervently, a hand reaching up to pinch her breasts as he thrust deeper. Behind them came the sound of glass cracking.

"I saved the gloves," he murmured in her ear.

Her core throbbed tellingly, and he smirked before his mouth rested on the skin beneath her ear. When he licked and bit into it, her body fell into shudders, coalescing low in her belly and traveling down.

"The ones you came on, in my room. They're still in my luggage. I'm never washing them, Bon."

She whimpered, climaxed around him just as he hammered into her, grunting louder until he pulsed, too, easing his thrusts and closing his eyes when his seed met with her aftershocks.

Fumbling out a soft curse, he rested his head against the glass beside her own, both of them breathing heavily, sweat trickling and pooling between them.

They stayed like that for a time, until eventually it hit her. She turned his face to hers, frowning in total bewilderment at him because how was this even possible? Breaking into another laugh, he bent to take her mouth in his, soft and slow this time. When they broke apart, he sighed and rested his head against the side of her neck.

"Sorry but not," he said. "Sweaty and gross as it is, I'm not letting you go."

"Good."

His low, deep chuckle shook them both while he pulled them away from the door. He managed to stay inside her while he brought them into the bedroom, onto the comforter she'd been using as her bed.

He shared his story with her, everything that happened since the night she thought he'd died, leading up the moment right before he found her again. She did likewise.

All the while they stayed joined.

She wanted to hear more about the thirty or so worlds he'd jumped into, intrigued by how much she suspected he withheld, especially when he clued her in that more than a few worlds contained not just his evil selves, but hers also. He became tight-lipped when she pressed for details. In turn, he dug for info on their married counterparts and if any of their kids were hellraisers, surprising her with how chill his reaction was to finding out that he'd fathered her children in this world. Hell, that he'd fathered at all.

Somehow in the telling, a few minutes later, he also managed to stiffen again. Her eyes widened, his sudden thickened girth while inside her drawing out her own wetness.

She bit her lip, tipping a corner of her mouth towards the ceiling. His eyes lit up with answering devilry. Soon, they were rutting on the floor like there was no tomorrow.

After they christened her comforter, they showered.

The water had only been running for five minutes before they christened that, too.

 **I - I - I**

The moon hung low, trickling its light inside the room and highlighting her sleeping face. He burrowed closer, watching her slow, even breathing, unable to keep his fingers from skimming over her features. She looked at peace, but the bags under her eyes were pronounced and her cheeks a little gaunt. She'd lost weight, in the time she'd been here.

It tugged at his chest, the desire to undo this damage. She'd been put through the wringer, had accepted it, forced his father into the Tesseract to keep him from doing more harm to the other Geminis. After she thought that he had died.

The fact that she was here now in his arms, safe, didn't diminish the sacrifice she'd made. And as much as it was just in her nature to be so goddamn white hat, he knew a large part of her motivation was on his behalf.

She'd thought she was saving _his_ coven. His people.

So his effort to find her-no matter all the universe hopping he'd just suffered through-paled a little in comparison. He was selfish, just needed to get her back, because he couldn't fucking live without her.

His first stop upon landing in Mystic Falls had been the cottage, but another family lived there, and his sob story about delivering a letter for Sheila Bennett from his recently deceased grandmother had earned a sympathetic ear from the current owner. The man had offered to get in touch with Sheila, mentioning something about Portland, giving Kai his first clue.

Then he'd tracked down Bonnie's childhood home, but didn't bother knocking at the door there. Instead, he'd peered inside the windows and finding nothing to indicate Bonnie was around. Nothing in the mailbox had her name, either, although there was a stack for Rudy Hopkins.

It didn't need Sherlock to deduce that with Sheila in Portland, so was Bonnie.

In place of magic, he'd had to settle for a last-minute flight, purchasing an open-ended ticket for himself, and using the time on the plane to rejuvenate. The Tesseract rested in his coat pocket, innocuous but heavy.

Once arriving, the taxi had brought him directly to the Parker house. He'd sat in the back, explaining to the driver that he'd lost his key and needed to wait for someone to arrive and let him in. The driver was a Trail Blazers fan, so they'd kept up a running commentary and Kai was surprised to find his home team had won the championship last year, and then wondered if there wasn't magic after all in this world, because that's what it would've taken, just getting them to the championships in his own.

The wait hadn't been long. This world's Bonnie had arrived in a SUV, rushing out of the car and inside the home. Kai had paid the driver and stepped out, then waited for the taxi to disappear before he retraced his steps, hiding behind hedges a few houses down.

And that's when he'd noticed, much further up the road, the beat-down car making its slow crawl. The first time, he hadn't seen the driver, but on its second rotation of the block, he spied the familiar face and his heart had lurched.

He'd followed at a run, trying to track down where the car ended up and to his complete shock discovered it not long after, sitting off to the side of an abandoned looking home with a for-sale sign that was falling off its hinges.

Inside the home it was neat, with just a few signs of being occupied here and there. There was a half-eaten slice of pizza on the table, and then a crossword puzzle with her large, cursive filling out almost all of the boxes. He hadn't been able to resist either, knowing he was eating her food, solving her clue. His body had thrummed with awareness and yearning, even without magic calling out to him.

But then the first sight of her-and she'd looked so goddamn small and defeated. Living as a squatter, that's what had punctuated her experience in Portland, set into motion by fucked up timing on his part, poor choices on hers, and his evil asshole of a father.

He hugged her closer now, his grip so tight she stirred, murmuring in her sleep. Forcing an exhale, he reminded himself that it was fine now, he'd find a way to make it up to her. More pressingly, he needed to disabuse the woman of the notion that she had to be some kind of martyr every damn time. That would be number one on his list of priorities, for the rest of his life. With her.

If she could be convinced. He was gaining more confident about it, but once they got home...well, he was a coven leader and she was a town protector. The devil would be in all the damn details.

"'S creepy how hard you're staring," she murmured groggily.

"Can't stop," he said, snuggling into her, warming her with his body because they lacked a blanket. "Sorta went out of my mind missing you, Bon. Don't blame me if I need to get an eyeful, for like a week or ten."

She said nothing, but tilted her head towards him, her eyes sliding open.

He stared down, words forming on the tip of his tongue that needed out, but too afraid to scare her off. "Anyway, can't say you don't like being ogled by me," he said, wagging his brows to lighten the mood. "I know you'd be lying."

Her brows puckered down, and her hand touched his jaw.

He swallowed, leaning into her touch. "I kept-I tried telling you, Bonnie," he said, stumbling over his words. "That I was still stuck in your ward, but something always came up and I-" He stopped, shaking his head, jaw clenched. "Should've tried harder."

"I remember," she said, her voice husky with sleep and also-to his immense relief, understanding. "You even said you wouldn't die. I could've listened better." She turned fully, facing him. "It's fine. You're here now. Went after me. Aside from my Grams, nobody's really done that before for me."

Wrath heated his blood, tightening his hold on her. Was she for real? Her friends-

"Stop," she said. "Not saying that whenever I was in trouble, nobody tried to help. But it's just -" she paused, adjusting her position in his arms. Her smile was sheepish, and not at all daunted by the glower on his face. "Witches are better at bail-outs. So...thanks. And don't go telling my friends that, okay?"

Her mouth found his in a drowsy kiss, swaying him from the thought that he needed to maim her friends when they got back. Maybe an aneurism would suffice, instead.

And who was he to argue her point? Witches were better at everything, was his motto, and it thrilled him that this woman, despite her partiality towards other supernaturals, deep down knew the score.

He pebbled kisses along her temple, stroking her shoulder, and soon her eyes drifted shut again. Once more his gaze traced over the valleys and curves of her slumbering form. Eventually, he succumbed to his own exhaustion. The last thing he saw before sleep claimed him was the lingering, barely there hint of a smile on her lips.

What woke him up the next morning was something honking, loud and close. He shot to his feet, instantly awake.

And there was Bonnie, as nude and alert as he was, on the defense from whatever new threat was closing in.

He blinked at her, everything from last night rushing back into his awareness. She was there, had been happy to see him, even more eager to have sex with him, and they'd fallen asleep thoroughly sated last night, all alone in the house.

So what the hell was that making all that racket?

 _Quack-quack, quack-quack._

Covering herself with the comforters they'd lain on, Bonnie peered around the edge of the door. He was halfway pushing her behind him, scowling at her to let him take the lead when she smacked his hands away, her face filled with exasperation.

"We left the sliding doors open," she said. "Mama duck decided to drop in."

He rubbed at his face, the tension leaking out, but he kept glaring anyway when he saw she was now laughing. At him.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Not a morning person?"

"Is it too much to ask to sleep in, our first night together?" he grumbled, leading the duck out to the backyard.

"Yes, we've got a lot do," she said, then her eyes danced. "C'mon, Kai. Don't be in such a fowl mood." She bit her lip. "Get it?"

He rolled his eyes, then shot his hand out. Her chuckle turned into a gasp when she lost her grip on the comforter.

"Talk me out of it, then," and his voice, low and rough, held no traces of humor when he dragged her into the shower. "But not with jokes. You need practice there."

Minutes later, she was using her mouth all right, just-God, in the best way imaginable. He died a little in the shower, the first time with her lips wrapped around him, and the second while her breasts pressed against the tile, her screaming his name as his length stroked her deep and hard.

Bonnie wasn't lying about the endless things to attend to, but that didn't stop her from going along with every single one of his attempts to indulge themselves. They had sex in each room of that house, and then later-when she tried to put on her game face, and talked him into getting dressed and out of doors-inside the clunker on wheels parked outside.

"Believe it or not, I found you to bring you home," Kai said, helping her climb off his lap. "Not so we could-I mean, not that I'm complaining." He stopped, recognizing that once they were home, it'd probably be a while before they were alone again.

She arched a brow, leaving the car. He followed her inside to shower yet again, except this time she made him wait in the living room while she cleaned up first, fully clothed when she stepped out and evading his attempts to touch her.

They went to a diner for brunch, at one of the local mom-and-pop joints that was quieter than the rest, and where he hoped nobody would recognize either of them. Who knew how long the happy family version of them had settled in, or how wide their circle went? The thought lightened his stomach in an odd way, but he dismissed it, as Bonnie ordered quickly.

He covertly watched her tucking into her meal with gusto, the same foreign feelings washing over him once more. This was likely her first decent meal all week, but the fact that she'd gotten by on so little roused something profound in him. No matter what, she'd survived it. Probably with as little damage as she could manage.

The thought prompted his recall, and he reached into his coat, pulling out the false driver's license for her that he'd conjured up back home.

"Luke mentioned your friends have your wristlet," he said. "Thought you could use a spare ID in case we run into trouble getting out of here."

Then he reached for the pocket of his jeans, and her eyes went wide when she saw him draw out money for their meal, the thick wad of bills fattening the smooth leather wallet.

"Whoa," she muttered. "You really came prepared."

"Is there any other way?" He didn't tell her he had more folded inside a small envelope in his coat pocket. Enough to buy a new car to replace the current hoopty they were riding around in. "Whatever I could fit in my coat pocket that fell under a contingency plan. I even brought the resurrection mask."

She paled.

"Sure, I'd bring you back from the dead. In a heartbeat."

"That is...really sweet and morbidly depressing."

He tilted the corner of his mouth up. "Glad I didn't end up needing it."

"Same." She narrowed her eyes. "But still you haven't explained-why would you bring so much money?" she asked. "I thought you didn't spend more than a few hours at most in the other universes."

He hedged.

"Kai..." she said warningly.

"This one has no magic, neither of us can just twitch our noses to make the Tesseract work."

"But you and Liv charged it up enough for the device to activate on its own. Impervious to the rules of order in this world, that's what you said." Panic set into her eyes. "I thought we were set to go, we just need to fly back to Mystic Falls, the exact location you landed in."

She was getting it all wrong. "Bonnie-"

Her hand shook when she covered her eyes. "Oh, God," she whispered. "It _is_ a dream. You're not real, and I'll still be stuck here." Then she covered the rest of her face, murmuring more things to herself he couldn't quite hear.

The total one eighty floored him. Swiftly, he moved to sit next to her on the booth, taking her hands away from her face.

"I brought extra to tide us over, in case I found you against the idea of coming home with me." He raised his brows at her at her expectantly. "World without magic, right? Someone like you-" he shrugged. "Why not get a fresh start?" Then he paused again, considering his next words. "Just on the off-chance you decided to look at this dimension as some kind of retirement home. Didn't think it'd hurt for us to have a buffer."

Total silence reigned for several beats, during which he reached out and focused on his plate, fiddling with his fork although he'd already finished his meal.

" _Us_ to have a buffer?"

"Right." Still avoiding her eyes, he shrugged again. "I came here for you, and no way in hell I'm going back empty-handed, but I wasn't a hundred percent sure how long it'd take for us to get home."

"Kai-"

"I'd wait for you. However long it took."

At that, he finally did look at her, only to find her cheeks rosy, her eyes bright, and it didn't seem anymore like she was breathing normal.

Some instinct told him to take her hand, so he did, swallowing nervously. He laced their fingers together. "You want to stay for a while, fine. So will I. You want to leave in the next ten seconds, let's." He brushed her mouth with his, then threw her a grin to mask his nerves. "Can't shake me, Bonnie. I'll go if you go."

She smiled back, squeezing his hand, and he could've sworn a nest of birds took shelter in his stomach just then, for all the fluttering that abruptly started up there.

"Then we go," she said, leaning in for a kiss that robbed him of his breath for a few seconds, especially when she took his bottom lip between hers and sucked, hard. She'd never done that before, at least not in public, and he couldn't help getting aroused. Her eyes turned coy as she glanced down at his pants.

"Oh, no, mister. Keep that tucked away for now. Before we leave, there's one last thing we need to do."

Except she lied, because they had to make a few stops along the way for this one last thing. Of all places, she drove to the mall, where she picked out slacks and a button down shirt from the men's department and then, to his confusion-nothing for herself. She bypassed all the ladies' areas to get to the men's shoes, until randomly she looked down at his boots, and her eyes squinted in thought. "You could get away with those," she muttered, then tugged him along to the sales counter.

But he resisted, telling her to pick up something for herself. "We're getting on a flight, you're wearing clothes three sizes too big, and you look young enough to be mistaken for being underage. I don't want security thinking I'm smuggling you across state lines in some sex trade."

She scoffed, but he merely cocked a brow.

In the end, she settled for leggings, a top, a jacket, and a pair of flats to replace the sneakers that barely had any soles left to them. The flats she changed into right away.

"Where'd you find these?" he asked, chucking the worn pair into the trash once they left the mall.

"Thrift store," she said, and then her face scrunched up at him. "You're a snob. Not everyone's been raised in the lap of Gemini luxury."

"Please, this has nothing to do with elitism and everything to do with common sense. Fine if you need to buy used, but at least pick something that'll last longer."

To which she had no reply but a careless shrug. "I was in a rush."

She drove him crazy, the way she was so dismissive with even her basic needs. "Sometimes, Bonnie..." but he left off on his thought, and settled into the passenger seat, staring out the window at a city both strange and familiar.

Everything was the same and yet different here. The people, the storefronts and high-rises in the distance...no obvious change from how they were in his world, but nothing flared to life above random heads or buildings to indicate 'here lies magic.'

Hobbled, this sad poor earth. He didn't much care for it. It lacked color and vitality and he was beyond glad Bonnie was as eager as he was to get out.

"You've really learned your way around," he drawled, smiling at how easily she navigated the streets like she'd lived in Portland for years. She turned into a familiar block, not far from the Parker house, then parked before a small ranch house.

Squaring her shoulders, she turned to Kai. "Mind saying hi to Grams?" she asked in a quiet, low tone.

His jaw dropped.

"It doesn't have to take long," she said in a rush now. "We'll pretend to be our counterparts passing by. Just a quick 'hello, nice weather, well okay then, good-bye.'"

The shuttered gaze she was giving him not quite hiding the urgency. This was important to her. He sighed deeply, then chuckled as he stepped out of the car.

"You know, there's a universe where your Grams is totally some kind of benign godmother or something of mine," he said. "She even okayed me to raid her fridge."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

He wished just then she'd been with him, to see that world, and meet not just that version of her grandmother, but also his own mother, and Theo.

Sheila Bennett was in the back, working on her garden. Bonnie went to greet her, nervous but a happy wide smile in place, her eyes misty. Kai didn't miss how long she spent hugging her grandmother, not letting go of her arms while he smoothly stepped forward, surprised to find the old lady drawing close for a hug.

"Not working too hard, I hope," he quipped lamely, trying for a deeper, mature domestic dad voice and instead sounding to his ears like a complete ass.

"I could say the same of you two," Sheila returned, glancing between both of them. "Surprised you're not at work, either of you. Thought you had a class," she said to Bonnie. "And you, a court case."

His brows pitched up. Court case? What was he, a lawyer here?

"Nope," Bonnie said. "Cancelled. Mine was. His got moved."

And then she devolved into just more of the same happy grin, leaving it to Kai to engage in chit chat while Bonnie's eyes drank in the sight of her grandmother, healthy and radiant in her little hat and apron, with just the tiniest specks of dirt across the front.

In this world, Sheila Bennett was like some Golden Girl. Dorothy, maybe.

True to her word, Bonnie didn't linger long. Although her grandmother invited them in for snacks and tea, Kai shuddering at the thought of having to stomach any of that beverage after Maggie's little stunt with the scrying spell-Bonnie turned it down, making an excuse that they needed to pick up the kids.

She was good at this, had a knack for role playing. What she sucked at, was the goodbye. With Sheila, at least. Understandably.

He pecked the old woman good-bye on the cheek, surprising himself at how easy it was to consider his one-time enemy family. Then he stepped a little away, giving Bonnie time and distance when she spoke with the older woman one last time.

And again, something hurt inside him, for Bonnie.

Inside the car, he drove and for the first few minutes it was silent. But he knew it was fine, because she didn't shy away from his touch when his hand found hers.

When he pulled up at the pawn shop where she'd mentioned she'd sold her jewelry, Bonnie turned to him with a frown. "What're we doing here?"

"Getting your stuff back," he tossed over his shoulder.

In a few minutes, and after some haggling, they walked back out, Bonnie's dazed face fingering the studs and the bracelet in the box. "Didn't think I'd ever see these again," she said, smiling, replacing the studs on her ears.

He stepped near and looped the bracelet around her wrist, clasping it for her, letting his touch ease slowly off her skin when he was done. She grabbed his hand before it completely fell away, meeting his gaze intently.

"Thanks," she whispered. "Not just for this, but also-meeting Grams."

He kissed her forehead, gulping down on words that roared to life in his brain, rushing madly to escape his throat. Instead, he just smiled and replied, lightly, "Anytime."

It was getting harder, keeping all these foreign emotions in check, and maybe that had a lot to do with them having met under seriously stressful circumstances, and then falling into intimacy without any of the stress fading away. That-was probably it.

At the airport they got Bonnie's same-day ticket, made it through security without issues, and loitered around pretending they were like any other couple. Bonnie disappeared into the duty-free shop, while he picked up the newspaper and snacks, knowing how meager the servings would be on the flight.

When Bonnie came back out, he was surprised to find she had no bags. "Thought you would at least pick up a book or something," he said.

"I did," she said, and slid a purple-covered paperback out of her back pocket, that she offered up to him with a small smile.

 _New York Times Sunday Crossword Omnibus._

He grinned wolfishly at her. "Liked my assist on that last clue? Kinda pat, that answer, huh? _Express_ yourself. And you without your Expression, here." Then he frowned. "You know, I'm not really sure magic's all that gone from this world. I think it's more a matter of everyone being tone deaf."

He could tell she thought he was joking, but he kept up a running commentary on it, beginning with the Portland professional basketball team and their championship win. He was still on the subject even once they were in the air, the seatbelt signs off, but finally dropped the subject when the waitress arrived to ask their preference for snacks, his interest perking up when he remembered they carried pork rinds.

He caught Bonnie's thoughtful face. Maybe his monologue had planted the seed of doubt in her, also. It wasn't reaching, anyway. Something as intrinsically tied to nature like magic could never really fully disappear, but maybe transmute. In some pockets of this world, it probably lingered, and only the few born attuned to it picked it up.

The universe found a balance, always.

He was halfway through his bag when Bonnie reached over, swiping a pork rind.

"Didn't know you liked them," he said, then eyed her suspiciously. "I'm not good at sharing these, Bonnie."

"Are you serious?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "I finished my peanuts."

"Well, here," he said, pulling out the bag of chips from his coat pocket that he'd picked up from the airport. "Feel free. But don't touch my pork rinds."

Her look turned speculative. "But I'm craving them. It's your fault," she added, her lips turning just a little pouty.

He almost dropped the bag, seeing her eyes grow heated when they fell on his mouth.

Without even realizing, he leaned nearer to her, and he knew he was being played here, the way she arched up, her breasts teasing against his arm.

"Let me have a taste, Kai," she whispered. "Come find me."

 _Oh, fuuuck me. Yes._

She got up walked to the back, disappearing inside the lavatory. He followed her inconspicuously a few minutes later and shortly after, they were hip-to-hip and part of the mile high club.

"So uncomfortable," he said, later when they were back in their seats. "But worth it."

"Don't talk about your magic theories," she said crossly, and he was confused for a moment at her attitude, because she'd had a good time in the small-ass space. He'd made sure.

Then he smiled, connecting the dots. "That turned you on? Really?"

And rode a high for the rest of the flight, that lasted even once they touched ground in Virginia.

They made short work of the trip into Mystic Falls, by way of a cab service. They were on route to the park where he'd landed in when he asked, "Want to stop by your dad's?"

But she shook her head, quick to look outside the window. "Pretty sure he's working."

"Doesn't hurt to try," he said, then tilted his head near hers. "I know a little something about closure, Bon. The way you lost him-"

Then she drew back, eyeing him in wonder. "You want to meet him, too."

He shrugged. "That, and your closure."

She bit her lip, thinking a little, before she leaned forward, directing the driver to downtown Mystic Falls.

The chamber of commerce building was a modest brown structure, and Bonnie led him through its lobby and halls with ease. "In my world, he's been a councilman since I was in junior high. Hopefully, that part didn't change here."

And it hadn't.

Rudy Hopkins was tall, dignified, and friendly, not at all imposing the way he'd imagined, but then in this world, Bonnie's dad was greeting his son-in-law, and not a warlock with a history of mental instability and leading a coven with their fingers in shady and violent supernatural dealings. Things were easier here.

Bonnie turned quiet halfway through the visit with her dad, her good-bye happy but muted compared to how she'd been with her grandmother.

They were silent all the way to the park on the other side of town.

He pulled out the device, anticipation building in his stomach and working its way up. No magic on his part, but the Tesseract had shifted in his hands, and when he got to the edge of the park near the words-at the exact spot where he'd landed, he blew out a quick breath, rubbing his hands.

"Ready?" he asked.

Bonnie stepped forward then, her face sad as she glanced around.

"Don't tell me you changed your mind."

She shook her head, but her eyes filled with tears. "Think I should've talked my dad into hitching a ride."

There it was.

"He's still married to his work. Grams and me, we're part of this huge family unit out in Portland. And he's all alone. I used to think he used work to hide from all the crazy magic that surrounded our family." She shrugged helplessly. "But no. Turns out he's just insanely dedicated. How's that happen? He's got tunnel vision-"

Kai pulled her into a hug, wary because the way she described her dad sounded like an autobiography, almost.

"Can't take him with us, Bon. Plus, he does still have you here. So, not alone." He stared down at her. "Some people just lone-wolf it all their lives. Most of the time, it suits them fine. And then-sometimes-they find the right pack." He chuckled. "Let's ask Tyler, when we get back."

She smiled, nodding, then pressed her head on his chest, inhaling deeply. "Okay. Ready."

The device pulsed between them, but he wasn't sure-didn't feel ready himself now. His own magic rested uneasily beneath his skin. Was there something wrong?

Bonnie frowned, too. "What is that?"

"I don't know-maybe we should move-"

But even as he said it, the incantation rang through his mind, magic sparking briefly on the surface of his skin. Light encased them both, and he gripped Bonnie firmly.

Then they were gone.

The light blinded them, and they zipped along the bright tunnel much faster than he'd experienced before.

"Kai," Bonnie said urgently. "This isn't how it was, last time."

"I know."

He pressed her head into his coat, and prayed for the second time in his life, this time in a silent plea that they'd end up home. They really fucking deserved it. Bonnie did, at least.

The tunnel dissipated. Grass cushioned their fall. He shook off the dizziness and nausea, still holding Bonnie close. "Okay?" he asked, but she kept her face low, near the ground, waving him away.

Night. That was the first thing he registered.

Second thing was that Bonnie's familiar black and gold tendrils had sparked back to life around her form. He'd never been so damn happy to see it. His skin jolted in excitement, his own powers coursing through in a familiar current.

"Ahh," he sighed. "Feels amazing."

Bonnie stood slowly, nodding. "God, yes," she said, her tone of someone in complete ecstasy. She tested, flicking her finger and he flew towards her.

"Hey, now," he said, but she cut him off with a kiss, her mouth hungry, and being the occasional decent guy he could be, he accommodated her.

They were pressed against a tree, so engrossed in each other, that Kai barely registered the throat clearing behind them.

"Okay, uh, excuse me, but I'm going to need you to take your PDA elsewhere," came a wry voice. "This is private property."

"Don't think they can hear you, Stefan," said another voice, this one female and low and exasperated.

Kai froze and in his arms, Bonnie pulled back with a gasp, staring up at him with wide eyes. "Not home," she whispered, frantic.

He shook his head, pissed at the universe. "Nope," he said, then turned just as Bonnie stood beside him.

Two slack-jawed faces eyed them with disbelief, before an irate, wavy-haired Bonnie strode forward, a large crossbow in hand. Kai's hand shot out automatically to disarm her, but she was quicker than he'd anticipated. The arrow lodged into his thigh, and he dropped to his knees, groaning.

"What kind of brainwarp is this?" the woman demanded.

Beside him, Bonnie swiped her wrist. Stefan and her counterpart flew up, hovering before her in a bubble of magic.

"Who sent you?" growled Stefan.

"Not home," Bonnie repeated to Kai. His healing spell was already at work on his leg, but Bonnie helped him up anyway, before she leveled her worried gaze towards the vamped-out Salvatore and angry lookalike, both figures beating against the inside of her shield. "And not friendly."

"How's this possible?" Stefan asked Kai. "You died years ago."

Kai chanced a sideways look at Bonnie. She looked ready to argue the case, but then shrugged, lowering the bubble so the other pair could reach the ground once more.

"Fine, I'll bite. How'd I die?"

"Damon chopped off your head."

"Yep," Kai declared. " _Definitely_ hostile."

"Who the hell are you two?" seethed the other Bonnie.

Kai leaned in to the woman beside him, whispering, "She's not my favorite version of you."

"Not helping," she said.

The other woman stomped forward. "If you're some sort of imposter, quit using my face. _Especially_ quit using it to kiss _him_!"

Bonnie threw her hands up at the sky. Aggravation caused her magic to erupt, wrapping around her and Kai in a defensive ward. At the same moment, she fully released the other two from her hold.

"Suddenly missing your life as a lonely squatter?" asked Kai.

"So much."

The other pair approached, their aggression now morphing into strange fascination. Her counterpart held up a tentative hand, brushing her fingers against the shield. Bonnie let it throb in warning as she glared at them.

"We're not evil," she bit out. "What you see is what you get. I'm Bonnie Bennett. He's Kai Parker. We're not from this world, and we're probably halfway in love with each other, so it's our damn prerogative if we want to stick our tongues down each other's tonsils. Got it?"

His lungs emptied while his belly switched places with his feet. He looked back at Bonnie, but she wasn't paying attention to him. The other two were, round eyes sliding towards him in shock. All around them the world went quiet but for the sounds of croaking frogs in the distance and chirping crickets closer by.

Oh, and his heart. Kicking up a fuss at Bonnie's words and hammering out what had to be a rhythm loud enough to join Metallica in their heyday.

"What she said," he agreed faintly, grinning like a fool.

What happened next was all his fault. He had better instincts, as well as decades of training, but they were dampened by the heady rush of _whatever_ the hell this was, that made him oblivious and delirious to anything but the thrill of hearing Bonnie admit to herself and other people that she _probably_ loved him. Definite progress. So he missed it, of course- _it_ being the whoosh of air behind him and Bonnie, that preceded a blow to the back of his head and-to his utter indignation-hers. Shit.

Bonnie crumpled to the ground. The protest died on his tongue, as his eyes closed and his own body slumped down to join her.

 **I - I - I**

When he Kai opened his eyes, bright light assaulted his vision. The side of his head pulsed tellingly, but he ignored it as he took in the spare, sterile walls and the tiny cot that lay in the center of the room. Bonnie lay there. He sprang to his feet, relieved to find her chest rising and falling in even, slow breaths. Her hair was matted with blood-not a lot, but enough that dread welled up in his chest at the sight.

"Bonnie," he said, squeezing her hand. When that failed to rouse her, he pressed her shoulder, ensuring he didn't jostle her. Having Jo for a twin meant that he'd gained secondhand info about medical shit that occasionally proved useful.

"C'mon, sassy pants, wake up."

Her pulse thrummed under his questing fingertips with reassuring, steady beats. He spared another moment of relief, then thought of his coat pocket. Or rather, how light it felt. Shit. His questing fingers found nothing when he dug around for the Tesseract. Gone.

"Okay," he murmured to himself. "Could be worse."

He assessed the room. The frame for a door stood on his right and the rest of the walls were bare. It amounted to nothing more than a cold, metal and glass cell. And beyond it across a wide, dark hall, he faced two other cells just like his own, each containing a single occupant. A man and a woman, watching Kai silently. Fellow prisoners. But neither looked particularly helpful, and proved it when the woman took up studying her nails, and the man returned to the book in his hands.

 _Alrighty. Fuck you too._

Kai clenched his fist, waiting for power to course through his fingertips and lay the room to waste.

Nothing. He tried again, willing his anger to subside. Still nothing.

His magic wasn't working. It had earlier, which meant...he studied the walls again, finding no signs to indicate a ward that he could latch onto and leech of magic. But much of the wall was glass. The best he could do was punch one, repeatedly, bruising his knuckles and giving vent to his fury. Another glance at Bonnie-still motionless but for the rise and fall of her chest-sent him stalking towards the glass.

"Hello?!"

"Pipe down, mate," the man across the way said.

Kai ignored the other prisoners as he faced the opening at the end of the wide hallway.

"Not to be a nuisance," he called out. "But could someone fetch a first aid kit before my girlfriend bleeds out on the bed? We'd hate to be one of _those_ guests." He leaned his head against the glass, turning towards Bonnie. "You know the one I'm talking about-the kind that dies on you before you've even offered them a drink?"

Kai squinted, waiting, then almost sighed in relief to hear a whoosh of movement. A familiar blonde stood in front of their cell.

"Caroline," he said mildly. "I take it you were our mystery clobberer. You know, you've got this knack for dropping in at the _worst_ times. In any universe."

"I try."

"I didn't mean it as a compliment," he continued. "When Bonnie wakes up, I'll need to talk to her about her choice of friends. Again."

The vampire winced visibly, her eyes moving past him to Bonnie. "How is she?"

Kai waved a hand, gnashing his teeth together. His nose drew in a sharp breath of air as he reigned in his temper. This particular blonde wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the pack, but right now she was his only choice.

"Could be better," he replied lightly. "Whatever you hit her with left a cut. Did you bring antiseptic and a bandage?"

She looked down at something she held, out of his sight. He guessed it was the first aid kit. Impatiently, he drummed his fingers against the door. When she glanced back up, it was to stare once more over his shoulder at Bonnie.

"Look," he tried again. "She might not be _your_ friend, but where _we_ come from, the Caroline I met would rather stab herself in the eyeball than lay a hand on Bonnie. She'd definitely pluck yours out right now for drawing blood."

Shame and guilt replaced the previous hesitancy; her back straighter, she moved firmly to the door. "Back away. And don't try anything funny because I'm not in the mood."

He turned his back, focusing on Bonnie as he knelt. A beep nearby indicated the door opening, then Caroline stepped inside the cell.

"Spare me the lukewarm threats," he said. "I just want the supplies."

She knelt on Bonnie's other side, watching him as he tended to the wound. He barked out orders for her to keep Bonnie carefully propped while he wrapped the bandage around her head, helpfully pointing out the laceration, noting the blonde's pale face turn even more wan at the sight. To Kai, he'd seen far deeper wounds; instinctively, he knew Bonnie would be fine. But the way Caroline was reacting, he figured he might as well push.

"Spent all this time looking for you," he murmured, staring intently at Bonnie. "I find you, and now you fall into a coma courtesy of your BFF. Gotta love our luck, huh, Bonster?"

He shrugged out of his jacket, setting it behind her head as he gingerly laid her back down. "No pillows, no blankets, no towels." He clucked. "You guys get one star for service."

Caroline took it all in. Kai stayed beside Bonnie, ignoring the other woman as he reveled in the remorse that poured out of the vampire. He stayed quiet, allowing her longer moments of wallowing in her own guilt. Then he grew impatient when she delayed in suggesting the obvious.

"On second thought," he said to the vampire. "You're just taking way too long to offer that drink."

His hand flicked quick as a snake. The sharp tweezers he'd snagged from the first aid kit sliced the air, then Caroline's bare ankle. She yelped in shock. Blood gushed out from the large cut. He collected it in his cupped palm, evading the vampire's kick. Rushing to Bonnie, he fed her a trickle of the stolen blood, ignoring his nausea at the thought of what he was doing. Feeding off vampire blood went against any Gemini's instincts, but it was either this or risk Bonnie's health. No contest.

He just had to make sure Bonnie didn't go and get herself killed in the next couple hours.

"Asshole!" cried Caroline, just as he heard footsteps behind him.

Kai turned and found Bonnie's evil twin at the entry, wielding a battle axe in one hand and a pair of manacles in another. She flung the manacles at Kai, the entwined cuffs hitting the wall behind him with a resounding clang. Seemingly out of nowhere from the wall, a latch appeared, to hang the chains on.

The room was a sadist's wet dream.

"Overkill much?" he asked, laughing in disbelief. "Your friend's cut already healed."

"How long before you decide to stab her again?"

"I didn't stab her, crazy pants. Anyway, I asked for supplies. Isn't vampire blood part and parcel of the Mystic Falls first aid kit?"

Caroline moved to the other side of the cell, warily eyeing the insane woman with the Viking weaponry who was even now approaching him with an all-too familiar resolve. Kai just sighed.

"Fine. Be that way. But first." He pointed to the woman on the bed, oblivious to all. "You mind not waving that thing in my girlfriend's direction?"

The words served as the opening salvo, apparently. Caroline had barely slid Bonnie out of the way before the battleaxe came swinging towards him.

* * *

 **Note:** as always, thanks for reading, guys! I wanted Canon Bonnie to keep a few of her Huntress attributes because that was hella kewl and my favorite part of an overall abysmal S7. :)


	33. Chapter 33

_Notes: Mostly in line with S8 except Enzo still hasn't turned his switch back on, and the siren storyline got tweaked. As always, thanks for reading, guys!_

 _CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE_

There were three people in the room, but in his manner of tending to the unconscious woman on the floor, it was as if Caroline was invisible. Bonnie didn't miss the way his hands lingered over the other woman's face and hair, and the gentleness in his handling. It unnerved her, and not only because the other woman's face and hair were identical to her own.

No, the unsettling part of spying on them were the memories that surged to mind-

 _... in the 1994 prison world, lying on the couch in the Salvatore mansion, in and out of consciousness, squirming at the deft touch of warm hands bandaging her torso..._

 _...at the diner near Whitmore college, when she'd gone to pay for her lunch but the light tap on her wrists stopped her, as if a remorseful asshole could make up for his wrongdoings by paying for her out of a notion of misbegotten chivalry..._

 _..in the midst of a field of snow, his gloved fingers encircled loosely around her own, as their voices blended in a chant for the missing 1903 Ascendant..._

 _...at the cellar in the Salvatore boarding house, her lying on the floor just barely aware of the steady hands bandaging her wrist, and fingers that softly traced the veins along her arms..._

-Bonnie wrenched her thoughts from the recollections. They served no purpose. She gripped her trusty battle axe in one hand, tightened her hold of the manacles on the other, and strode into the room. Briefly, she entertained thoughts of just using a regular dagger but this was _him_. The bigger and sharper the weapon, the better. Bonnie couldn't afford to underestimate the carbon copy of the man who had ruthlessly cut down so many lives all those years ago.

She and her friends had enough trouble on their hands already. Two of them sat in their own cells just a few feet away.

Kai Parker-or whoever the hell this guy was-would behave, or she would bury his ass again. To that end, in a matter of seconds, the blade of her axe was poised against the side of his neck.

"You mind not waving that thing in my girlfriend's direction?" he joked, his old glib way instantly coaxing out her irritation.

Bonnie was glad she'd shadowed Caroline. Another minute and he would've found a way to smuggle himself and her imposter free. Despite being a vampire, Caroline was the wrong person to go toe to toe with someone like him-motherhood had softened her. Bonnie shoved the axe closer against his skin, using the thought to drive her resolve. She'd be damned if her friend would be Kai's next victim-he'd already robbed everyone of too much.

"You don't stay dead well, do you?" she said blandly.

"Why?" His brows perked up. "How many times have you seen me die and come back?"

Once, when she'd pickaxed him back in 1994; another when she'd thought he'd bleed out in 1903 from the stabbing she'd inflicted, although later when she found out a key tidbit that Damon had neglected to mention that the death of the Gemini coven leader meant death for all Geminis, Bonnie hadn't been able to help the sense of relief that Jo and the others were still okay. Which meant that for a time there (and somewhere abysmally deep inside of her) she'd been relieved to know that in the 1903 prison world, Kai was okay.

Then he'd escaped, unleashing hell at Jo and Alaric's wedding, leading to his own demise, and that of his coven. Bonnie realized now, in all the years that had passed, that the memory of Kai Parker had faded. The sharp resentment not just at all he'd done, but also all _she'd_ done in reaction to him, had dulled, along with the ugliness inside of her that used to blister out at the mere thought of him.

But now here he was again, steady head very much on his shoulders. _This_ was _not_ okay.

"Too many. The last time, Damon set your headless corpse on your fire after you massacred everyone at your sister's wedding."

"Charming." The tip of his finger prodded her axe blade just the tiniest increment away from his skin where she'd nicked him. "So what happened, huh? Did Livvie Poo find a way to marry Tyler here, too? Don't tell me I didn't get an invite."

Just hearing Tyler's name stung. He'd been one of the few who'd kept afloat, avoiding sinking too far into the murky gray depths of life in Mystic Falls. He'd been a good guy, even in the end. Despite what she told herself in the mirror or voiced out loud to her friends, Bonnie wasn't sure she fell into that category anymore, but she did know this-losing Tyler hurt. As often as he'd been absent from town in the past few years, knowing he was out there fighting the good fight had always carried weight with her, and given her hope that at least some of her friends had made it out, and were doing good.

Involuntarily, her eyes watered.

"You're gonna have to help me out. I have a problem reading emotions sometimes. Are those boohoo tears or..."

His comment dwindled away on a light note, but Bonnie could see the burning need for details pressed him as much as the axe resting against his throat. Genuine intrigue gleamed from his face. Anyone else might have been swayed by his amnesiac act. Bonnie bit down on her sorrow, holding his stare. Never mind that her own innate distrust had started dueling with growing curiosity that she tried not to reveal in her face.

It was Caroline who moved forward, carefully pulling the long axe away from her friend. "Bonnie," the blonde said in a low, urgent tone. "He's not the same guy. I saw him with her. There's just no way he is."

"Oh, please," she replied, dripping scorn.

"Bonnie, now's not the time for us to make more enemies. We just lost our friend. Maybe these two showing up is us getting a _damn break_!"

When Bonnie said nothing, Caroline pushed.

"I think it's time we make new friends. Especially since-"

Bonnie knew what was coming.

"-they have magic."

"Had," Kai put in. "And would love to regain. ASAP."

Bonnie set her jaw. "He could've killed you, Caroline."

"Pffffbbbt." He answered her glare with a familiar smirk. "Think about it, hmm? You seem to know me so well. If I wanted to kill her, Blondie would've been dead. Instead she got a little booboo on her ankle that healed within seconds."

"He just wants out, Bonnie. For both of them. They don't deserve to be here." Then the blonde vampire's brow wrinkled as she looked up at Kai. "Wait-wherever it is you're from...Liv and Tyler are _married_?"

"Forget married," Bonnie muttered. "Liv and Tyler are _alive_."

Something palpable passed over Caroline's face but Bonnie concentrated on Kai's instead. He seemed to take a second to interpret the emotion her friend struggled with. Strangely fascinated, Bonnie knew the moment he got it right. _Yeah, that's grief_ , his expression seemed to reflect, as if he knew the feeling himself and also, felt inordinate pride in recognizing it.

"Near miss," Kai replied. "On both counts. Dear old dad crashed the wedding. Me? Not much of a fan about them tying the knot at first, but let's just say a certain someone currently out of commission in this very room with us? She can be _pretty_ persuasive."

He tossed a look over at the woman in question. In it, Bonnie could read dueling urges: he wanted to both cradle her imposter in his lap and yet also throttle her.

"I don't know if she owes me an apology, or me her. Maybe both. Maybe neither." When he glanced back up, he met her eyes unerringly. "All I'm one hundred percent sure of is that this blows chunks. The universe made sure she and I crossed paths, then littered it with landmines."

She knew the feeling; it was how she might have described her relationship with the vampire watching them from across the hall, trapped in his own cell.

"I gave the match my blessing, in the end," Kai said, chuckling without humor. "At the risk of sounding mopey, what tends to happen when I wear my good-guy face is that fate finds a way to spit in it."

Caroline didn't bother hiding her eagerness to hear more, that sheen of prying in her eyes obvious. But Kai sounded so much like he had back in 1994, the entire conversation reminded Bonnie of another: in the prison world, when the other Kai had baited her and Damon with slippery half truths of escape from their 1994 jail cell.

The other Kai...Bonnie wanted to hit herself. She was starting to believe him, despite her better judgment.

"Long story," he added cajolingly, as if he read her thoughts. "I could tell you, but first I'd need to get comfortable. Like a couch for my girlfriend there and a bottle or two of tequila for me. Manners, you know."

Bonnie's spine tensed. He needed to stop calling the woman with her face his damn _girlfriend_. Her axe inched forward once more.

"Manacles," she said curtly to Caroline, who moved briskly.

Within seconds, he was on the ground, suitably restrained. A quell of unease passed over Bonnie. Maybe she was going over the top, chaining him up like this. But the Kai she remembered didn't need magic to hurt anyone, and had a way with his hands that usually ended with other people bleeding. It was necessary. For now.

He peered at his wrists with odd calm, clucking his tongue.

"Not the kind of comfort I had in mind."

 **I - I - I**

A stiff neck welcomed her back. Her muscles spasmed in urgent protests that Bonnie ignored, as she sat up slowly to gain her bearings. Her head throbbed. She groaned, touching it. Someone had bandaged her head, tightly but neatly.

"Bonnie."

The hard mattress creaked as she sat up, tracking the voice to a corner of her brightly lit room that took a few moments for her vision to adjust to. Moving slowly, her eyes took in Kai on the ground, one leg drawn up as he leaned against the wall.

Memories rushed back at once. The last thing she'd seen was a version of herself-cold eyes matching a hard face-standing with Stefan, studying her and Kai suspiciously, just before someone else had attacked them. Bonnie hadn't seen who, but as she thought back, the faint scent of expensive perfume that had carried in the air right before the blow was familiar. How had she missed it?

Something rattled, as Kai's legs moved. She moved nearer, her eyes still adjusting to the brightness. He sat in his rumpled clothes, sporting a bruise at his temple. Caked blood ran in a line down to his jaw and against his neck was a fresher cut.

"Are you okay?" she asked, resting a hand against the side of his face, inspecting the damage.

He squinted down. "Depends. Have you graduated from 'probably' to 'for sure' or is it too soon?"

"What?"

He cleared his throat, blinking quickly. Then he tilted his head, beckoning for her to come closer, peering clinically at her bandaged head. "I'm no Jo, but that looks pretty secure. How do you feel?"

"Like I got bludgeoned. You?"

"I'm secure enough in my masculinity to admit: same."

"Nobody bandaged your head."

"Well, no. I woke up first, see. You wouldn't open your eyes and we were stuck in this dungeon, so I called for one of those idiots to bring bandages...among other things." He nodded at her head. "Your cut wasn't too big, but I wrapped it up just the same." His jaw tightened, stretched into an even more strained smile. "I might have-sort of-kinda-panicked and did something you won't like. But it was my only way of knowing for sure you weren't going to die from internal bleeding."

His gaze dropped to the corner of her lips, but not in a heated way. Instead he looked worried. The remnants of something tangy and metallic on her tongue told her the rest of his story. She touched her mouth, not at all surprised to find dried blood at its corner.

"Blondie vamp's got a soft spot for you."

"Caroline," she murmured, putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Yep," Kai said. "I was worked up, like I mentioned. It wasn't too hard getting her to give you some blood. She's got major guilt right now, after hitting you hard enough to concuss. Funny enough, I don't think it matters to her that technically, you're not her actual BFF of this world."

While he explained, his hands had remained uncharacteristically still. She hadn't realized how accustomed she'd gotten to seeing him move them in that languid way he had. More rattling drew her attention to why this was.

She inhaled sharply. Fury possessed her-instantly, encompassing all other thoughts.

"Who did that to you?" she demanded.

"Who else? Your twinsie stormed in. I kid you not, the woman's got gladiator moves, Bonnie. She, uh, managed to subdue me. I won't lie, at first it was exciting, but now...well, I don't know if I'm scared or hopeful to find out if you share the same kink."

He sat before her casually, so composed-precisely why it'd taken her this long to register that his wrists were bound by chains to the lower part of the wall. Bonnie gripped the iron manacles on each side and tugged. It was moot because she knew they wouldn't budge but she couldn't help trying since her other first instinct-to melt the walls around them with her magic-had utterly failed. So she pulled hard and kept at it for long enough that she lost breath and her vision dimmed.

"Stop," Kai ordered calmly. "You're gonna pop a blood vessel."

Bonnie let go, struggled to her knees, and banged her fist against the wall, willing her magic to life. That Kai sat at her feet still trapped had signaled bad things. But that he was manacled again, as he'd once been by his father-well, that just triggered her homicidal instincts.

"I could cut a bitch," she murmured under her breath, leaning her head against the wall.

He chuckled. "I'd be super scared right now if I were that bitch. But maybe try that again when you don't look half-comatose."

"Kai...I'm sorry." She turned to lean her back on the wall, then slid down until she sat beside him. Her fingers found his, her heart lurching as he squeezed in reassurance. "This is...all my fault."

"Wrong. My old man's, remember? But also to a lesser extent mine, since it doesn't take more than ten seconds to explain that I was using Liv and Tyler's sex doll for cover on their wedding night. If I'd just blurted it out in passing, all this could've been avoided."

" _Not_ a sex doll." She swatted half-heartedly at his shoulder, then leaned her head on it, inhaling the mix of sweat and blood and traces of magic intrinsic to him. "Why can't we get ourselves out? What happened to our powers?"

"I happened," came the gruff, accented voice.

Bonnie's head shot up. Preoccupied as she'd been with Kai, she'd failed to register the brightened spaces on the other side of the hall. Automatically, she shifted closer to Kai as they stared across the way and found two identical cells to theirs, dark-haired strangers occupying each. The woman kept silent, offering a small smile. The man merely looked weary.

"Rather, my family. The St. Johns have kept the Armory for ages. In that time, they accumulated a large bag of goodies, let's just say. One of them is a gadget that inhibits a witch's powers. Guessing that's the trick they've pulled on you lot."

Beside her, Kai retained his casual pose, but Bonnie could hear the edge in his voice as he asked, "Thanks for the heads up. Good looking out. Who are you?"

"Not a friend. Just...a bored bystander." He waved his hands around as he strolled along the length of his cell. "No television. No yard visits. You two are our newest entertainment."

"Great," Bonnie muttered.

"Now, Enzo." The woman's voice was sleek and seductive, matching her movements. When she stood from the bed, it was slow, her hips swaying, the rest of her undulating like a snake. Bonnie bristled at the way the woman looked at Kai. With intrigue-no, more than that. With hunger. But he didn't spare the woman a return glance, focused as he was instead on the Englishman.

"You're not being polite." She slid her gaze to Bonnie, and her smile turned wider. "I'm Sybil. Very nice to meet you both."

Bonnie couldn't say likewise, so she said nothing.

Before any further civilities could be made-or insults hurled, if Bonnie was gauging Kai's reaction to Enzo right-footsteps nearing caught everyone's attention, as a figure entered what Bonnie was starting to call in her head, "the holding cells." Bonnie almost sighed in relief at the sight of the man-until she saw the unfiltered loathing that lit eyes when they landed on Kai.

"Don't," Bonnie warned, instinctively leaning to cover Kai as she met the other man's gaze. "Alaric, please. Whatever you're thinking, it's not him. He's not the same Malachai Parker from your world."

"I heard."

Alaric kept moving. Beeping reached her ears, followed shortly by their cell door opening.

The door swung open. Alaric entered. From his perch on the ground, Kai blinked cheerily at their visitor, idly rubbing at his wrists where the rings had started to chafe against his reddened skin. Alaric returned the appraisal, watching his movements in silence. The older man was wary as ever, in the same way Bonnie's long time friend back home would have been, but at least the hate that she had seen moments ago in his eyes had died.

"If you heard, then why are we being held prisoner?" Bonnie asked carefully.

Alaric leaned his palm against the panel by the door. It beeped again, and the lights in the room flickered, then flared back to life. A low-grade buzz followed that faded away after several seconds.

"Sound dampener," Alaric explained. "I don't want them listening in."

"Ooooh," Kai said, pouring excitement into his tone. "Is it that time? Are we sharing secrets?"

"If what you told Bonnie and Stefan is true about who you really are and where you're from, then you're owed the benefit of a warning." Alaric tilted his head to indicate behind him. "The man across the way is a vampire. Used to be a friend, but he turned off his humanity thanks to the woman in the cell next to him. She's a siren. Ancient, powerful, capable of getting inside your head to control your thoughts and actions. She drove Enzo to slaughter dozens of people across the country this last summer."

"Terrific," Kai said. "If she's so powerful and evil, why is she just chillin' inside your glass cage?"

"We have a weapon that's keeping her in leash right now."

"Ah, so you've found a way to repress her magic, too." Kai turned to Bonnie. "Maybe the four of us could form a support group."

"You should keep to yourselves. Avoid engaging them."

"Or," Bonnie said brightly. "You could stop being idiots and let me and Kai out so we can go home. _We_ haven't done anything terrible to deserve getting locked up like those two."

"Not _yet_ anyway," Kai added helpfully.

Alaric's head jerked up to stare at Kai. "The last time I saw your face, Jo was in my arms, bleeding to death after you stabbed her in the stomach. Mid-vows. She was also three months pregnant."

Kai went still, his expression taking on blankness.

"After that," Alaric continued, "Kai Parker killed himself. The Gemini leader jammed a glass shard into his jugular and took out the rest of his coven. He had vampire blood in his system. I take it you've heard of Heretics?"

Kai nodded.

"Well, he was one for all of five minutes until he lost his head." Alaric's face remained grim. "Because that's what happens when you make Damon Salvatore choose between letting Bonnie die or Elena sleep for the next seventy years, give or take."

Bonnie exchanged a glance with Kai at the strange comment. He tossed back a puzzled but careless shrug. She wanted to believe in his indifference. He sure as hell didn't have to put up with listening to the litany of heinous acts committed by someone else. But she suspected it bothered him. Meanwhile, all that mattered, in the end, was getting back home.

Alaric took in their reactions and sighed, rubbing his face. "It's complicated. Basically, I'm trying to explain why Bonnie went a little overboard putting you in this cell. We haven't had a good run." He paused. "In years."

"I'm confused," Kai said. "That started out like you were reading me the riot act for things I myself didn't do. Now it just seems like you want me to feel bad for you. Yet..." he trailed off, waving his manacles around with raised brows.

Alaric's face turned disgruntled. "Caroline said that you lead the Geminis in your world."

"Ah, lemme guess. You need my expertise-power-intricate-knowledge-of-spellwork-charm-lightning-intellect. Stop me anytime, because I could go-"

Kai cut himself off as Bonnie kicked his boot hard enough to jar her own ankles.

"Ow."

"Yes," Bonnie said. "If you're looking for a Gemini expert, you can't do better than Kai. And I'm not exactly a slouch in the magic department," she added in an undertone.

Which earned a tremulous smile from Alaric.

"You have bad history with the one from this world. I get it. Now's your chance not to repeat it. You don't want this one as your enemy. Or me."

"Thanks, babe," Kai drawled. "But idle threats won't get you far either. That won't take these chains off. Maybe not even me explaining how back in our world, twin sissy is magicless but alive and well and not a big fan of motherhood or you know, just parenting in general. You don't want to hear all the lectures about abstinence she presides over and makes all the coven kids attend." He cleared his throat, pitching his voice higher. _"'Our duty is to the coven but we can't sell ourselves short! No propagation of the line just to boost our house footing! That's ye olde and barbaric ways."_

"I'd go to that lecture," Bonnie said idly.

He beamed, appearing pleased in her interest in his coven's affairs Then he fowned. "We don't generally send our minors out to procreate in the name of coven hierarchy."

"So that arranged marriage with Alanis that you didn't bat an eyelash at must have just been the exception."

"Low blow, I was never in it for realsies, and more to the point neither of us were minors. But I see you. You're riling me up to distract me."

She almost smiled because he wasn't all wrong. But his movement set his chains rattling, which sent her temper flaring. She rounded on Alaric, her mouth open in demand, but he was already shaking his head.

"I can't remove the chains, I'm sorry. Bonnie has the lock for it. And we have to keep you in holding for now. We're running a trace analysis and researching those magical items you came with. Until it's cleared of any association with the sirens and Arcadia, we can't free you."

Sirens? Arcadia? Bonnie glanced at Kai, but his eyes had found the ceiling, staring intently there as if it held the secret to breaking his chains and smuggling them both home.

Bonnie turned back to Alaric as he held up a slim, penlike device and then pressed one of its buttons. Instantly, her powers coursed through her blood in a familiar manner, just as Alaric's finger twitched, and her magic disappeared again.

Kai growled.

" _What_ was that?" Bonnie asked, glaring at Alaric.

"Classified defense weapon from the Armory. It's a power inhibitor. Non-magical origin. You couldn't siphon it off, Kai. Temporary effects, but handy."

"The Armory?" Bonnie asked.

"This." Alaric's grim smile returned as he indicated around his head. "Whole thing. Our base."

Back home, the Salvatore boarding house took turns with the Lockwood mansion and even Bonnie's own cottage as their base of operations, depending on the need. But none of those had quite the holding cell the Armory did. Bonnie would have been impressed, if she wasn't currently battling the need to kick Alaric in the face.

"Set us free," she said. "And maybe we'll think about helping you deal with trouble."

"You may regret that offer."

Bonnie raised her eyebrows. "Try me."

"Well, it involves Damon, sirens, and a version of hell."

For a space of five quiet ticks from her watch, Bonnie debated laughing. He wasn't serious.

"I'm serious." Alaric wasn't even looking at her, as he kept his face at the ground, somber as ever. "If _you're_ serious about the offer, you guys will be our best shot at gaining the upper hand. Once we know you two aren't just byproducts of psychic manipulation."

Bonnie dug the heel of her palms against her eyes, debating if it was worth asking him to repeat all of that.

"Sorry, I didn't make it past the words 'Damon' and 'hell,'" Kai said, chirpy. "If he's there, I imagine he's probably found himself a cozy, toasty little seat at the Inferno bar by now."

Ric shook his head, humorless smile in place. "I don't know where Damon is. I just need what he knows."

"Your operation here's a little wobbly, Ric. Bonnie and I came here from an alternate universe. Not _hell_. You took our stuff and locked us up because here we're guilty until proven otherwise. And now you want our help to _investigate_ _hell_. I don't even know where to begin with how wrong your approach has been, chief."

Bonnie moved to Kai. "Wait-"

"No, Bonnie, what are you thinking? Why would we help them?"

Alaric stood. "Damon is the only person who knows how to keep my kids safe from the creature running hell."

She took hold of Kai's arm. How tense his muscles were proved his easygoing manner was all for show. His eyes gleamed with anger. He had to be less than thrilled with this world. She could only imagine how listening to the atrocities his other self had committed here, only stoked his own inner demons.

"Kids?" Kai ground out. "What kids?"

Alaric paused at the door, his profile to them, stark despair lining his expression when he answered.

"Mine and Caroline's...and Jo's. They're your nieces, Kai."

 **I - I - I**

Kai didn't care. None of them-Alaric, the other Bonnie, dead Jo, dead Jo's kids-were important to him. They weren't his. None of it was his doing. He had enough duties back home that he didn't need to take on the weight of _another_ goddamn world's.

"...let Bonnie pick out the curtains for the cabin because she said she's a knack for that stuff. But she's a bald-faced liar, mate, those curtains are all flowers on steroids. I abhor them." Enzo chuckled. "I never told her, didn't want to hurt her feelings. I might share now, though. Did you two have the same trouble?"

Kai _especially_ didn't care for the vampire across the way, and his non-stop yammering, and the innocent face he was turning towards them at the end of his latest monologue. The man's skin gleamed pale, unnaturally smooth, his rugged features too full of smugness.

Nobody offered an answer.

"I'm sorry," Enzo said, sounding anything but. "I just assumed...haven't you two already moved in together?"

He wasn't really waiting for an answer. His point made, the vampire shut up for the first time since Alaric left. Which had been roughly sixteen minutes. Kai knew because he'd started clocking it, from the moment Enzo opened his mouth to offer them a condensed history of life in Mystic Falls since 2012. Not only did Enzo possess details of his counterpart's short foray into town via the 1994 prison world, but he also knew most of the shitstorm that had happened to the group since. Heretics, Huntresses, and Hell, in a nutshell.

And in the last three years, he'd weathered the storm with a version of Bonnie at his side.

Fuck the guy. Seriously.

Bonnie sat on the bed, studying the ceiling. She'd taken up where Kai had left off earlier, mentally painting a vista of escape plans against the bland white canvas. Bonnie was frowning; whatever she was imagining had clearly gone off the rails. Kai shifted his position on the ground, attempting to broadcast calm when he really just wanted to tear shit up. Hard.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the woman across them scrutinizing the wall next to her that was adjacent to Enzo's cell.

"We spent the _entire_ summer together," the siren said in her strangely soothing voice. "And you couldn't string together five sentences where I didn't have to order it out of you. Where did _that_ come from, Enzo?"

"The newbies are tolerable listeners," he said, now sounding bored.

"And I'm not?"

"Not everything is about you, is it, darling? Therein lies the rub. And no, you're not."

"Maybe I need to see about getting Bonnie to visit us again. I'd like to hear from her if you're really such a chatterbox." Her gaze swerved sharply to Kai's. "Or if some part of you deeply buried beneath the no-humanity-act is just responding to this man's presence. Clearly, he has a profound hold over our beloved _Bonnie number two_. Just as clearly, it goes both ways."

Bonnie sat up on the bed and Kai angled his body closer to her. They didn't reach for each other, but the need to be near was instinctive.

Sybil smiled at them.

"Sweet little lovebirds." She began a circuit within the tiny confines of her cell, every step calculated to highlight the sway of her hips. Kai had never met a siren back in his world, but he'd encountered succubi enough times to be wary of predatorial beauty.

"For some reason," Sybil said. "I'm compelled to know your story. Now, Alaric and Stefan have the tuning fork set to play constantly, low-grade. It limits my usual range, but I think I can pick up enough from both of you. Whatever you've been up to has left your mental defenses weak." Her expression turned reflective. "I can see the draw. It's not the typical good girl meets bad boy angle, is it?"

Enzo swiveled his head towards the wall he shared with the siren. "What are you doing, you crone?"

"Isn't he just the rudest?" she replied. "Don't interrupt, Enzo. We don't want to hear from you anymore. We know all about you and _your_ girlfriend by now. Two neglected, lonely hearts finding comfort in each other after suffering for too long under the third wheel syndrome. In other words, you guys settled. That's boring."

Enzo reflected on that, then shrugged, offering no reply.

"But these two," Sybil paused, her expression bright with curiosity. "Powerful, at the height of their prime, loathe to let anyone in. The weight of the world on both your shoulders. A leader on one hand, a protector on the other. No time for any fun, was there? Until you laid eyes on each other." She giggled, clapping her hands softly. "So much magic between you, how could you have ever resisted? It's a tale as old as time."

Kai swallowed thickly as he looked at Bonnie. She eyed him quietly back.

"Sure you find each other hot, but it's really _power_ that brought you together, isn't it? You're kindred spirits. And deep down," continued that low, soft, hypnotic voice. "You want to let loose with each other."

Neither he nor Bonnie argued that.

"You could be gods among men. Answer to no one."

Again silence reigned. Even Enzo now stared at them, curious. Then Bonnie laughed, the sound full of genuine mirth. She made her way to where Kai sat, then dropped his jacket that she'd been using as a pillow to cover them both as a makeshift blanket. When she spoke, her eyes brimmed with amusement.

"Kudos. You found us out. Kai, thoughts about letting loose- _go_."

"I say let's spank each other. With our _magic._ "

"Sounds juvenile."

His lips twitched. "Sounds _tight_ , babe. Shame we don't have our powers right now."

"That's all right. At least we got free couples' therapy out of it."

He chuckled. She dropped her head on his shoulder, relaxing against him and Kai figured if they had to play the waiting game, they might as well be comfortable. Taking Bonnie's lead, he toed off his boots and leaned against the wall, wrapping his arms around her and taking care not to tangle her in his chains.

When they glanced again at the other pair of prisoners, one glowered back, while the other was smirking.

"You're losing your touch, love," Enzo called out to the woman in the next cell. "I can't tell if you mean to recruit them as minions or if you just want them on your buffet tray for your next meal, but either way, I call that one an epic fail." He snickered, shaking his head as he looked across at them. "Better than cable, the pair of you."

But there was a glimmer of something in the vampire's gaze as it lingered on Bonnie. Kai's good mood dissipated. His arm tightened around Bonnie. The other man's expression grew cool.

"That was always your problem, Enzo," Sybil retorted. "As sneaky as you are, you still think inside the box. All this time serving me, and you never once picked up that what I'm looking for aren't minions. What am I going to do with mindless servants? Why do you think I'm still here, allowing myself to be imprisoned by the most incompetent cavalry that ever existed?"

Enzo stretched on his seat, rolling his eyes as he reached for a book on his bed.

"Oh, I sussed it out early on, luv. When you started asking questions about Stefan and his Ripper past, I wondered. Why would you recruit a creature that'd tear up the bodies before their souls could be delivered? Then all of a sudden, here you are at the Armory playing prisoner, engaging Stefan in mind games about his brother. You don't give a rat's ass about Damon. He's already in your clutches. It's the Ripper you want." The vampire snorted in careless disdain, flipping to a page. "Well, have at him. I don't know if you realized, but I turned in my resignation awhile back. Now that I've flipped the switch, I could care less whether you use Stefan to serve Arcadia or dismember him, and raze Mystic bloody Falls in the process. I just need to get the fuck away from you lot!"

Sybil huffed, looking every bit the scorned, jilted prom date. Then she smiled, just as a pair of footsteps approached.

"If you're so smart," the siren said in sly tones. "Then why haven't you figured out that the Ripper isn't the only thing I'm here for?"

The creature swung her smile towards the far end of the hall, where the other Bonnie appeared. Something jangled in her hand-the keys to his chains. Kai didn't know why, but instead of relief, ice gathered at the base of his neck and spread outward, as the petite figure approached their cells.

 **I - I - I**

"Everything came back clean."

Bonnie knew the words were coming well before she heard them. She had her own eyes and ears to rely on after all, but old scars and grudges had resurfaced with the arrival of their unexpected visitors. Hours after slapping on chains on a stranger with a familiar face, the prejudice that had clouded her mind was starting to lift. Mainly because Caroline hadn't let up with her arguments: "why wouldn't Mystic Falls, supernatural hotbed, host a pair of other-dimensional travelers? Why not, after every other suped-up being they'd encountered? Also, why was it so impossible that the newest kids in town were friendlies for once?"

Bonnie had hurled back protests-"no test is gonna rule out the chance that they're evil imposters"-but Caroline had scoffed, Alaric and Stefan hadn't been convinced, and in her own gut, Bonnie could admit it just didn't...feel that way. Not after visiting the prisoners.

The explanation from other-Bonnie and other-Kai was the simplest, least malicious, most likely, and-ironically-best. For the group, at least-not necessarily for Bonnie's frame of mind.

They'd come here by accident. And she'd persuaded her friends to treat them like enemies.

"Right," Bonnie muttered. "Of course they're all clean."

Carefully, Alaric placed a small box on the desk in front of Bonnie. Inside of it was the metallic device with complicated gears and a delicate overlay of three dimensional cubes, the leathery paper-thin slip of an unidentifiable face, a fat wallet, and-oddest of all-a handkerchief.

"None of the texts we've pored over on hell reference anything in that box. None of the chemical tests came up positive. In some of the metadimensional tomes, I found a few sections about mystical spells that mess around with the space and time continuum, so there's that. I couldn't find any drawings or descriptions of _this_ ," Alaric stopped, holding up the heavy metal object, "but it looks suspiciously like an upgraded Ascendant, Bonnie. But I'm guessing you already thought as much."

She had, but refrained from saying so earlier because-well, it never hurt to double check.

"The other object is a resurrection mask of Sumerian origin. Neither item has any association with the tuning fork or the other things we've found on Arcadia and hell and sirens. Also," Alaric paused again, pinching his lips before he blurted out, "that wallet's carrying an _obscene_ amount of money."

Bonnie raised her brows.

"Not counterfeit. Not hell dollars, either. If all else fails, maybe we can ask to borrow some."

"This is hardly the time for jokes when our kids are being hunted, Ric." Caroline exhaled deeply, the wheels clearly spinning in her head. "All right, everyone. We move on to phase two, then. We go release them, apologize profusely, and give them back their kick-ass magic to help us keep everyone safe."

She stood in a blur of yellow hair and pastel colors, ready to follow through as hastily as possible, but Bonnie's dormant, not-quite-gone reflexes during her time as the Huntress were quick enough to stop her friend.

"I'll go, Care."

Caroline gave a nervous laugh. "No."

"I had the worst reaction, I put him in chains, and I'm the one whose magic is missing and needs theirs. Caroline, I'm going."

Stefan stood by the door. Briefly, Bonnie groaned to herself at having to explain it all over to yet another third party, but instead he just held out a small crossbow and her favorite throwing knife. They were her go-to security blankets anytime she went to visit Enzo with the unfortunate by-product of having the siren as an audience. Bonnie slipped both under her jacket, into the hidden holsters she kept.

"Thanks," she said, buoyed by his silent support.

"We'll be close," Caroline warned.

"Don't stay too long around Sybil," Alaric said. "The last thing we need is her getting to your head the way she tried with Stefan."

She didn't need to be told twice. Dragging Enzo back to the armory to play prison buddy with his former puppeteer hadn't been Bonnie's first choice, but her plan to keep him at the cottage had crashed and burned. After learning about Tyler's murder, Bonnie realized the safest place to keep humanity-free Enzo was at the armory-both for himself and his potential victims. And since Sybil, it turned out, seemed to have no further use for him anymore, they kept him there under monitor. He threatened to disembowel them daily, but Bonnie kept sneaking in his favorite books anyway.

She didn't know how to quit trying, despite how each encounter with him chipped away at her sanity, and drained her little by little of her spirit.

As she made the walk back to the holding cells, Bonnie gathered her resolve. She wasn't there for Enzo. The thought did nothing to ease her mind. Visiting Enzo was nothing compared to having to come face to face once more with her spitting image-and Kai Parker's. Neither of them hell visions. Neither of them evil, if she went by their explanations. Both of them touchy-feely with each other and more importantly, very much in touch with magic.

Bonnie rounded the corner leading to their prisoners and steeled herself for what she'd find.

"Ah, and here she is," came the sultry voice that Bonnie had learned to cringe at on reflex. "This year's girl. Here for your daily whipping?"

Bonnie ignored Sybil, avoided looking at Enzo, and stepped up to the pair of inhabitants on the other side of the hall. Through the smooth, clean glass she had a perfect view of their expressions. She met both their gazes for long seconds, debating how to broach an apology. When none came to mind, she stalked to the door and let herself inside without any ceremony.

Her counterpart strode towards her.

"I'm here to-"

The woman jabbed her fist in the air. Bonnie ducked, just missing the sucker punch and then dodged again as another punch aimed for her gut. She grabbed the woman's hand and twisted it behind her, locking it in place at her back.

"I deserve that-oof!"

She reeled back from the headbutt, her nose stinging as her vision watered. Her attacker backed away.

Grabbing her nose, Bonnie tested it gingerly. Pain, the way she was breathing, and the misshapen bump at the ridge told her it was broken.

 _C'est la vie, girl._

Clenching her jaw, she used one hand to steady her nose, and the other to realign it, all the while telling herself not to scream but-

"Gyaaargh!"

Bonnie didn't quite see stars, but when she blinked the edge of the room darkened and the rest gained interesting spots. She leaned against the wall to steady herself. Nobody spoke until her breathing evened out. When she stumbled up from the wall, she caught Sybil and Enzo smirking at her. They didn't even like each other, and yet shared finding this entertaining. Jerks.

"That was for chaining my boyfriend up," her identical twin said coldly. "Now get him out."

Wiping up the blood trailing down her nose with the sheets from the bed, Bonnie could only nod. She wanted to toss the key to the other woman so she could free him herself, but that could be taken the wrong way, too. Bonnie couldn't afford another misstep. No matter her prejudices against the man for sharing the face of her long-dead torturer, she had to get this over with.

Her hands were steady while she unchained him, though he stared at her. Unabashedly. She kept her own eyes on his shoeless feet; beneath his socks his toes wiggled in anticipation of freedom. When had he gotten comfortable enough to take his boots off? Meanwhile he kept staring. To the point that Bonnie felt her cheeks warm from shame, embarrassment, guilt, familiar bone-deep disgust-

"I'm sorry," broke out stiffly from her mouth.

That was when he looked away, his gaze now landing somewhere past her shoulder. She didn't turn around because she knew he was looking at his... _girlfriend_. Making comparisons.

It was what Bonnie herself had been avoiding doing the last couple hours since laying eyes on the woman with her face, standing under the night sky, wrapping potent magic around herself like a royal cloak. As difficult as she found the concept of visitors from parallel worlds, it wasn't hard to grasp that wherever they came from had done wonders for Bonnie Bennett's powers.

More than ever, her own deficiency loomed large, a personal storm-cloud of ineptitude.

When the man before her started smirking, she almost expected him to say, "Oh, look. The useless one is here."

Except now she couldn't retaliate by trying to set him on fire. And shouldn't, had she been able to.

Instead, Bonnie worked through the tightness in her jaw and in her head, when she nodded to the doors, and said, low and careful, "You guys are free to go."

The couple glanced quickly at each other, then suspiciously back at her. "Where's our stuff?" Kai asked while shoving his feet quickly back into his shoes.

"With Alaric." She moved outside of the cell. "He's out in the main room. We...should talk there."

" _Now_ she wants to talk. After jailtime." Kai scoffed. "I see what you're doing. Coming here with your tail tucked between your legs to make doe-eyed apologies and soften us up before the professor and Blondie make their final case for our help." He shook his head. "Not gonna lie, your tactics _might_ have worked on me, but luckily, I have a partner who's immune. Right, babe?"

 _Babe_ said nothing. No surprise there, since the woman's hostility had started thawing the moment they stepped out of the cell, replaced by curiosity. When they passed Sybil and Enzo, Bonnie saw her counterpart briefly study the vampire. She herself couldn't help a surreptitious glance up at Enzo watching their every move. He spared her an eyeroll, broadcasting disinterest. With her or the overall situation, she wasn't sure.

A sudden, harmonious laugh filled the air, stopping their tracks.

"I don't know why I ever let you peeve me, Bonnie," Sybil said gleefully. "All this time I thought you had Damon and Enzo wrapped around your fingers, when really, you've been nothing but their good little lapdog. Look at you, begging for scraps of attention from Enzo. When are you going to learn, woman? He's _just_ not that into you."

"I lack a conscience," drawled Enzo. "Not eyes. Bonnie and I can have plenty of fun still, but she won't have this way and I don't see a problem. We're at a bit of an impasse, is all."

Sybil ignores that. "It's not about the humanity switch, Bonnie B. May I call you that? I feel like we've gotten close. I've witnessed you cast away your dignity enough these last couple visits, all for a vampire who has yet to show any signs of caving."

Bonnie turned away.

"Tell her, Enzo. Tell your girlfriend why it's taking her so long to bring back your humanity."

She wanted her legs to move faster, but they felt like lead. Ahead of her, the other couple had resumed walking, presumably deaf to the siren's baits.

"Come on, Enzo. Or do you care, after all?"

"No, I just find this discussion tedious."

Bonnie couldn't move from Enzo's cell as she stared at the cruel twist to his smile, though he said nothing.

"You're deflecting," Sybil said. "You see, Bonnie, I've wandered around enough inside Enzo's head to know the real reason he hasn't flipped it back on yet for you."

Bonnie still couldn't walk away, even though logic and experience told her was coming. She knew all about Enzo's hang-ups. Just as well, she knew the highlights of his existence. There were only a handful of people he'd ever really cared for. She was one of them. But someone else had come first. And best.

"How long do you think it would've taken Lily Salvatore to bring him back, hmm?" Sybil pondered innocently.

"'We'll never know since she's dead," Enzo said flatly. "You do prattle on about trivialities."

"Thanks to her own son. _Your_ best friend, as it happens." Sybil sighed in disappointment. "Doesn't it burn, though, Bonnie? Knowing you'll always be number two with Enzo? Or is never ranking first is just par for the course with you?" She sidled close to the glass, leaning in and lowering her voice to say, conspiratorially, "Trust me when I tell you, have a little dignity, Bonnie B. Better yet, borrow some from your lookalike over there."

Outwardly, Bonnie showed no reaction. She couldn't let any of it sway her but unthinkingly, her eyes met another pair of slitted, green ones, identical to her own. They looked back at her with clinical detachment, before they slid up towards Sybil.

"Version 2.0," the siren continued. "Premium edition. Better magic, better hair, better _man_. I bet you're really regretting not giving _your_ sociopathic siphoning coven leader the second shot he asked, huh, Bonnie?"

In one movement Bonnie reared and spun towards the woman, her hand reaching for her weapons. Her actions were fluid, done without clear thought; a part of her acknowledged the useless attempt to attack, but her mind wasn't fully her own anymore, thanks to the bitch in the cell. Bonnie was tired of repressing the urge to hurt her.

Kai, of all people, suddenly blocked her way.

"Hey, hi,," he said pleasantly. "Look, despite how much I cheer on the idea of anybody just permanently shutting up this sad excuse for a siren-there's a time and a place for everything." He paused, blowing out a breath as his stare turned intent, and he lowered his head to meet her eyes directly. "Here? Now? Is neither."

Inexplicably, her urge for violence ebbed.

"Also just for the record all this talk about Bonnie vs. Bonnie is encouraging my inner caveman voice so if nobody is against a mud match between the couterparts..." he trailed off at the identical scowls flung his way from both women. "Kidding. Now how about we all get it together and don't mind the petty troll behind the glass?"

Bonnie held her breath, cringing inwardly. Now that the mad urge to retaliate against Sybil had passed, she wished she'd warned him. His words would only provoke the siren.

"Good point," Sybil replied, appearing to mull it over. "It's not much fun kicking someone who's already down, anyway. I've lived too long to enjoy being a bully, I think. I prefer a little challenge."

"We need to go," Bonnie said.

"Oh but where's the fun in that?" came the low, malicious reply. "Let's make the most of this. Three for the price of one."

This time, the siren spread her hands against the glass, bowed her head against it, and closed her eyes. There was no scream, no spinning of the room, no signs at all to indicate danger. Bonnie would have cried out in warning, but it was too late. Her vision blurred momentarily, she lost her bearings, and the hall abruptly disappeared.

When her head had cleared enough, Bonnie gazed around. She wasn't alone, and she was also no longer at the Armory. Stars peered cautiously back at her from a clear, evening sky. In the distance, a familiar barn stood, soft lights glowing from window frames sporting jagged pieces of broken windows.

"Where are we?" her double asked, stepping away from the man beside her, moving towards the barn. He went to follow her.

Bonnie almost called them back, even as her hand found one of the knives under her jacket and gripped, hard. It was pure instinct borne out of remembering what this was-knowing where Sybil had taken them.

One of Bonnie's worst memories.

 _"Helloooo?"_

A solitary figure staggered near the entrance to the barn. Tall, dressed in a dark, bloodied suit, Kai Parker-the dead one, the one who'd tormented her for a short, memorable span of months-stumbled past heavy drapes, disappearing inside the carnage of his own making.

 _"Anyone still alive?"_

His voice trailed away, as Bonnie's companions paused. When they turned back to her, she didn't have the words to explain. Sybil appeared then, casting a sly glance at Bonnie. She glided past her and the others, waving her hand towards the barn, presenting it as if a riveting performance awaited them there. Bonnie's hand twitched to throw one of her knives at the woman.

"Don't do this," she warned.

"Me?" Sybil gave a throaty laugh. " _I'm_ not doing anything. It's you and Malachai who are going to put on a show. Now come on, before we miss the good parts."

 **I - I - I**


	34. Chapter 34

_CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR_

 _ **"Anyone alive, just raise your hand!"**_

Garlands of lights still twinkled above the corpses strewn on the ground. Under the soft glow of chandeliers, Kai saw the familiar faces of his coven, all frozen in their death masks. His father's body was slumped in the middle, his fist clenched in resistance. Tariq lay on the ground near his staff, glassy eyes still open as he stared unseeing at the ceiling. Close by was Althea Crux, huddled near the corpse of her daughters in a final, macabre family pose. Someone else's blood was pooled under Althea's foot. Tracking its source, Kai saw a large, messy crimson puddle on the altar. If there had been a corpse there, someone had removed it.

"Are you wondering whose blood that is?" purred Sybil behind him. "It was Jo's. I recall sifting through Alaric's mind, this is about when he packed her corpse up inside the trunk of his car."

Bonnie stepped up beside Kai. She said nothing as they both watched his counterpart. Hollow-eyed and loose-limbed, the man stumbled around the ruins, aimless.

"There's no point to this, Sybil." Bonnie's double strode towards the siren, stopping just nose to nose. "Get out of my head."

"I second that motion," Kai said. "Since Enzo already gave us the low-down earlier. We get it, okay? In this universe, I suck. "

Saying the words like they carried little threat gave him small comfort. He looked down to find Bonnie still watching quietly. He didn't know if that was a good sign. Her eyes stayed on the other man tripping about as if half-drunk. Kai didn't relish the sight of it. He was looking at a mirror, where the image reflected back a hollow husk of himself, who had given up drawing power from his coven, just to turn into a vampire. He reminded Kai of the Heretic version of himself from the first world that he had jumped into-a creature that, on first impression, carried the same air of aimlessness.

 _ **"I need blood."**_

 _ **"You need more than blood."**_

And just like that other Heretic had done, the man's empty-eyed stare gained new life, with the arrival of Bonnie Bennett.

 _ **"Maybe some ointment, because gross."**_

The difference lay in the emotions that were kindled. His other vampire self had broadcasted wonder-even thinly concealed joy-once ponytailed Bonnie entered the scene in the graveyard. That man had mourned the loss of Bonnie from years back, enough to be grateful for the presence of another. This one now lacked the same gratitude. As he turned, Kai recognized the weariness in his movements, how it made everything he said and did appear lifeless, but for the hurt, anger, and accusation in his eyes, as he stared across the room at the woman who'd betrayed him.

 _ **"Hahaha. Your friends think you're funny? Because maybe if you were funny-if you were the one with the good jokes they could always count on to make them laugh, maybe they would be cool with letting you live instead of Elena."**_

 _ **"You're right. Sadistic humor is your thing. I'm just the one that does magic."**_

"That's enough." The dagger-wielding Bonnie shoved her weapon back inside her jacket, turned her back on the fight ensuing between her past self and the enemy, and squared her shoulders against the siren. "What do you want from me?"

"It's not simply what I want," Sybil said. "But also what you need."

"How Deepak Chopra of you."

"What is it they say? You can lead a horse to water, but don't accidentally drown it forcing a drink?"

Kai turned to the woman at his side-his own Bonnie-and felt embarrassing joy when she reciprocated his puzzled look.

"That's not what they say, is it?" she asked him.

He nearly choked on his relief. She was still capable of banter with him, even confronted with the worst version of himself he'd yet encountered.

"Nope," he said lightly, brushing her arm. "Not even close."

 _ **"Undo the spell, Kai!"**_

 _ **"I can't. What's done is done."**_

 _ **"Ossux!"**_

The man was barely putting up a fight. Kai heard the crunch of bone snapping, saw his Heretic counterpart fall to the ground, cackling. He rolled on the floor, pointing to Bonnie, his pained groans mixed with unhinged amusement. Kai couldn't look away from it, fascinated by the sight of this spiral into madness. He himself had toed the line plenty when he was younger, but never to the same extent as this man now. Was he appalled or impressed? He wasn't sure. He felt Bonnie's stare on his face and wondered if it reflected his thoughts.

 _ **"I can't undo the spell, Bonnie. My death made it permanent."**_

Past Bonnie backed away from the madman on the ground; in doing so, she moved near Kai, giving him a glimpse of the loathing in her otherwise cold and calm expression.

 _ **"I'll just wait for the werewolf bite to kill you."**_

"This is way too much drama for one night," Kai said in chilly tones to the ancient siren at the edge of the room, smiling with glee. "What're you trying to do, hmm? Am I supposed to feel guilty about this guy turning looney tunes? Or are you trying to get _her_ -" he pointed to his Bonnie, still standing close to him, "to see me differently? Is that it? Lonely, future crazy cat lady wants to drive a wedge between every couple she encounters because reasons?"

"You're being ridiculous. I don't begrudge couples their happiness. Feel free to soak up your new romance." Sybil smiled toothily. "Just know that this could've been you two. If I might offer suggestions, tone down on radiating that 'happily ever after' kind of smug. It's off putting." She leaned into Bonnie, whispering, "And also, I would be _very_ careful next time you argue about who gets the remote."

 _ **"You know what's funny? I didn't even know werewolf bites were real. Until I got bit by one. Thing is, Bon, only way a guy turns into a wolf is if it's magic, right? Technically, the venom's magic, too."**_

So not only had he fully embraced his homicidal urges, but the guy had also skipped some necessary reading in the Gemini archives. Another disappointment there. Yes, murdering his siblings as children, stabbing pregnant Jo, killing his entire coven-all that was FUBAR. But this? How did the man call himself a Gemini, remaining ignorant about other supernatural beings-a werewolf, no less?

Kai was done with the guy, and just as over this entire detour inside alternate Bonnie's head.

"If you could maybe spit it out a little quicker," he said to Sybil. "What the hell it is you're trying to get at-"

 _ **"I just went ahead and siphoned it up."**_

"-because it's getting lame. Really. And I'm hungry. And I think Bonnie's hungry."

He paused, sensing a change. The other man shifted on the ground, turning to confront the tiny woman brandishing a stake above him. Now was about the right time for shit to hit the fan with them.

 _ **"N-no."**_

 _ **"Motus."**_

This time, the crack of bones came from her side of the room as she was flung against the wall. She dropped hard on the ground, not stirring. Kai let out a slow exhale, his nose flaring as he reflected on the sight. Bonnie had told him about this version of themselves-he could clearly remember the closet at the lodge, could pinpoint the way her dress rumpled as she sat on the ground, the stain she'd sported at the side where her blood had seeped through after being attacked by one of Mickey's creatures. She'd been through the wringer, but what had nearly done her in was what she'd learned from Maggie Durant about the two of them. In vivid detail, Kai recalled the defeat in Bonnie's posture as she recounted all the different worlds she'd peeked in on, and all the different Kais and Bonnies who had done nothing but maim or kill each other.

On instinct, he sought out Bonnie, trying and failing to get her to meet his gaze. Wrath spurred Kai to move fluidly; suddenly, Sybil's neck was in his grip.

"You know," he said softly, applying greater pressure on the siren's throat. "I like to negotiate but you've just pushed all the wrong buttons."

"We're almost done," Sybil said. "You might have had enough, but I don't know if a lesson's really been learned here. Do you see what just happened, Bonnie?"

She phased like a ghost out of his hold, approaching her real target and walking in a half circle around her. The other Bonnie held her arms loose, waiting with narrowed eyes.

"Malachai Parker was on a bender, clearly. But someone drove him to that point. It didn't need to go there, did it? Now I'm not saying the guy isn't responsible for his actions. But have you ever really owned up to your part in this? You let yourself get talked into carrying out revenge. By Damon Salvatore."

 _ **She rolled in tiny, pained increments on the floor, her struggling breaths turning more agonized. He paced slowly nearby, mumbling to himself, gesticulating every so often.**_

 _ **"-watched your escape video over and over and over after Damon gave me the camcorder, Bonnie. It's embarrassing, actually. You'd think I was catching Baywatch repeats. But I couldn't help it. I didn't even know why, at first, but then later when I started processing Luke's emotions it hit me."**_

 _ **He crouched by her, going quiet. She closed her eyes when he leaned over to peer into her face.**_

 _ **"I admired you, Bon. All that spunk, you know? Some people might call it stupid, that you got in your own way when it came to escaping the prison world. First sending your vampire bestie home instead of yourself. Then a stuffed bear the second try. But even that third time when I tried talking you into being reasonable over Thanksgiving dinner and then finally realized it was a lost cause, I knew it wasn't just about you being stubborn-and by the way you should know I debated up until the last minute whether to bring you along..."**_

 _ **Again, he paused, his hand reaching up and hovering close to her temple. His eyes tracked the trail of blood that mixed with a lone, stray tear. His pupils dilated, grew red; veins formed around his eyes. She grimaced in pain and clear revulsion, a ragged gasp escaping that devolved into a sob. His face resuming its human mask, the hand nearing her temple stilled, lowered. When he let it fall to his side, it turned into a fist.**_

 _ **"When I gutted you," he said softly, "I think a part of me knew even then that you were gonna get me back. It was all in your eyes. Under the right circumstances, you can shed being the martyr and relish playing HBIC, can't you?" His smile turned wondering. "I did that to you. I was the right circumstance. Can you appreciate the irony here? If I hadn't been burdened with a conscience, maybe this all could've turned out differently. The kind of hate you hold for me is the kind that old me could've thrived on." His brief pause ended on a tired shrug. "My bad, right? In the end, I should've expected the 1903 payback. But I guess that's what happens when you're saddled with dumb things like being sorry. I lost my focus. New me didn't want that kind of hate. And I thought since you changed your mind about all your fanger friends, you could someday change your mind about me."**_

 _ **Her body jerked as she moved her head, meeting his gaze directly.**_

 _ **"Now I guess we're even. I just hate your guts. The same way you hate mine."**_

 _ **She opened her mouth, coughing up blood instead. "K-kai...I wi-"**_

 _ **When she broke off again into fitful coughing, he leaned closer, his expression lacking its earlier mockery. "Go on."**_

 _ **"I wish-you..."**_

 _ **He swallowed thickly, an odd frown crossing his face as he watched her struggling to speak. "Bonnie-"**_

 _ **"W-would sh-shut up..." she cut in, bloodied hacking coughs overtaking her again, before she scowled through it and managed the last bit. "S-so I...c-can-die...in...peace."**_

 _ **She cast up one last hateful glare.**_

 _ **He eked out a slow smile, sat back on his haunches, and for long seconds did nothing but stare at her form. Twice more, his demonic eyes broke through, before he abruptly stood and disappeared out into the night. She lay quietly for a minute, all alone. When he returned, he carried a single flower, sat on the steps of the makeshift altar, and twirled the stem between his fingers as he watched her from a distance.**_

Sybil waved a hand. The room changed very little. Past Bonnie still lay on the ground, but her breathing had grown more labored, while the creature responsible for her injuries remained seated on the steps of the altar, still with his flower and thoughtful face.

A new figure appeared then, running in and dropping beside her. Kai nearly groaned. This guy. Of course.

 _ **"How dumb are you?"**_

"Do we have to stay for this, honestly?" Kai asked, gnashing his teeth. "I mean, look, I've already heard the spoilers, 'kay? I know the headless horseman act's gonna follow."

"Be quiet," Sybil ordered.

 _ **"I deliver you a dying Bonnie Bennett on a silver platter and-whoosh!-right over your head."**_

 _ **"Bonnie," Damon whispered.**_

 _ **"D-damon." Bonnie gripped her friend's hand tightly.**_

 _ **Kai stood from his perch, ambling towards the pair.**_

 _ **"Translation: she's about to croak. Of course, you don't have to help her, you could just walk away. She dies of a collapsed lung. No blood on your hands. You and Elena get to live the lives you always dreamed of."**_

 _ **The lines on Damon's brow eased, his hold on Bonnie's hands growing slack. The dying woman watched it, her own face taking on an expression of mingled horror and disbelief.**_

 _ **"Either way, you better act quick."**_

 _ **"I am so sorry, Bonnie," Damon whispered, as Bonnie's breathing slowed.**_

 _ **Her friend kissed her on the forehead and walked away.**_

 _ **Bonnie choked on a sob, a single tear streaming down her cheek.**_

 _ **Creases grew along Kai's forehead as he took it in, tracking Damon's retreat. The vampire was abandoning the witch. Kai looked back and forth between where Damon disappeared and where Bonnie still lay on the ground. Still dying. Confusion grew on his face. He looked around the barn as if the unplanned tomb could offer him answers. When none came, his expression grew disturbed.**_

 _ **Bonnie sputtered again on a breath, blood filling her lungs.**_

 _ **"That's it?" Kai said in disdain. "He just left you?"**_

 _ **Bonnie struggled to move, but her neck was frozen in place.**_

 _ **"The whole point was that this would torture him for a while. I mean, you think he'd at least flip a coin. Heads he picks you, tails he picks-"**_

 _ **In a sudden blur, Damon appeared behind the Heretic. So intent was he on protesting the injustice of Damon's rapid choice, Kai didn't hear the sneak attack-more importantly, he'd totally failed to suspect its authenticity. Damon's hand whipped up and sliced down. Kai's head flew off his body mid-protest, his features still caught on indignation.**_

The flashback ended with his counterpart tumbling over, like an upside down exclamation point missing its dot. Damon Salvatore was playing hero, healing Bonnie with her blood and cradling her in his arms. She stared adoringly into his face like a trusting child.

The sight galled Kai more than even the decapitation. If he was being honest, he couldn't exactly blame Damon. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the vampire had gone with option C-indulged his rage and impulsively eliminated the source of all their woes. Never mind that the Heretic who had placed the hex had probably lied about not being able to fix it. Magic was magic-permanency had no place in such a volatile craft. Damon couldn't have known that.

But Bonnie-the one belonging to this world, who'd sought revenge then squandered it and left the role of savior to a damn vampire-wouldn't she have known better? She was a witch-no, more than that-a _Bennett_. She should have known there were ways around hexes.

"Well, that's that," Kai murmured. "The big finale. Kind of a letdown, to be honest."

The sight of his dead coven and headless body swam in his vision. Exhaustion was taking its toll, probably. Mired knee-deep in other people's problems-in another world's drama-all Kai could manage was a tired glance at the woman in the center of it all. Another Bonnie who couldn't seem to meet his gaze, though he at least had the comfort of recognizing the guilt that motivated this one.

"So?" he asked her. "Any regrets?"

Even if she did, he couldn't imagine how she would admit to them. She'd made it clear from the moment he and Bonnie arrived that the two of them together made her ill. Now he knew why. But still, his sense of fair play rebelled. Enzo's endless monologue earlier had spared no details. In payback for trapping her in 1994, she had stabbed his remorseful counterpart in the back and trapped him in 1903.

"None at all?" Kai couldn't help prying. "Just so we're straight. There's a Gemini witch hellbent on earning your forgiveness and trust to the exclusion of common sense. He should have left town, but no. You and your buddy Damon get handed a guy who's all 'me-so-sorry-how-can-I-help' and sporting a shiny new conscience _and_ wielding the collective power of an ancient coven. And you're telling me the best you could do with that gift horse was stab it, then lock it up with a gang of hungry Heretics? Like...'bye, Kai?'"

"I get it," she said in a low voice, her gaze still averted. "He snapped. We made him snap. I'm not making excuses for me and Damon. Neither of us were thinking right. But let's say Kai got his second chance...you see what he did here. We'd always be looking over our shoulder, afraid of the next thing to set him off."

"Mmm." Beside him, Bonnie crossed her arms. "Right. I know the feeling. I used to think just like that, back in the days when Damon used to break people's necks anytime Elena sneezed at him wrong. And when Elena herself turned off her humanity switch-did that happen here? She tried to _eat_ me on prom night. I almost killed her back." She approached her counterpart, stony expression in place. "Don't kid yourself. You-the people around you-have _years_ of blood on your hands. Does it mean that all of you are only capable of evil?" She pointed to the headless corpse. "That _he_ couldn't ever do any good?"

Bonnie was defending him-hell, not even _him_ , but bad-guy him. Her counterpart offered no reply, and while not exactly looking cowed by Bonnie's argument, a distinct look of shame crossed her features. Kai gulped down on gratitude towards the woman he'd tumbled through dimensions for.

"Why would he even go to all this trouble, only to hex you and Elena?" mused Bonnie.

"Lily Salvatore gave him the idea," her counterpart replied.

"But it makes no sense if he really just wanted revenge. Why not just kill you once he escaped the second prison world?"

"He attacked me to get my blood. But..." the other woman trailed off. Whatever she was remembering just then, stayed in her head. Clearly she wasn't one for sharing.

"Let me guess," Kai said. "He didn't go for the kill."

Kai didn't care enough to point out what was obvious to him. Dumb bastard got his feelings hurt and took it out in a way that only a juvenile sociopath would deem worthy, but still fell hard enough for the girl that he couldn't bring himself to snuff her. And while on principle, Kai hated his idiocy in killing all these Geminis-he understood it. Where he was more fuzzy on was if he felt sorry for the guy, or embarrassed on his behalf. It didn't even matter, except that Bonnie kept looking at the headless lump on the other side of the room, her furrowed brows in no way giving Kai good vibes.

"He didn't really want you dead," Bonnie said suddenly.

"Because misery loves company, I guess?" came her double's bitter reply.

"If you want to look at it that way."

"He didn't want you dead," Kai confirmed, "because where's the fun in that? I saw his face. Your BFF's fake-out really got him. He was betting on Damon picking you. Maybe he just wanted something to hold over you two for the long haul. Something only he could ever fix, on his terms, on his time."

"No, he said there were no loopholes."

"He probably lied," Kai said, smiling cheerlessly. "If I had to hazard a guess, placing this hex was his way of getting even and getting tethered."

"Tethered?" the other Bonnie asked, puzzled.

"He'd have a reason to check in on you and your gang every once in a while. Even if only to dangle the curse over your head." At her befuddled look, he shrugged. "I mean, what do I really know? I'm just the alternate version of him with a shorter rap sheet. Did you ever try to break it?"

"Too risky. I can't take a chance on Elena's life like that."

"In our world," Bonnie said. "We have a spell called the _Revoqari_. Have you heard of it?"

"Vaguely."

"It's meant to lift curses," Bonnie explained, sounding a little doubtful. Kai cleared his throat, raising his brows at the line of thought she was following. She gave him a sheepish look. "It's one of the oldest spells still in existence. People have died trying it in solitary casting. But if you could gather enough firepower with another witch-"

"Still risky."

"Yes...I can't argue that. But an ancient revocation spell is no loophole. The effects of it is like a...punch from the gods. It's a direct attack and the times that it has worked, it obliterated the curses."

"Don't forget the basic rule of magic," Kai said. "Nature, balance, yadda yadda yadda. Every hex has its reversal. The _Revoqari_ is dangerous, but it's also the most potent counter to any spell known to witches."

The woman didn't look convinced, so Kai didn't push it. And he couldn't blame her, remembering his own panic when Bonnie had revealed her familiarity with the _Revoqari_. He'd been adamant keeping her from trying the spell. Even now, he had to bite back a few more warnings. He could think of other ways to get around the curse that didn't involve the _Revoqari_ , but a momentary wave of faintness hit him and kept him quiet. Staying upright was starting to be a challenge. Or maybe he just had to stop staring at his butchered coven. Bodies of dead Geminis kept weaving in and out of his field of sight. Masking his dizziness, Kai knelt by the nearest corpse...who happened to be his own father, of all people. Kai scoffed to himself, staring at the man.

His father's eyes were still partially open. He looked exactly as Kai remembered, gray-haired, features harsh, his eternal frown passing judgment, even in death. But in this world, the man had done his duty in the end, walking his daughter down the aisle before getting killed defending his coven. Kai had a hunch Joshua Parker had probably still sucked as a dad, but might not have been such a total shit as a human being. After all, hed managed to score an invitation to Jo's wedding, while the Abomination he'd once called son plotted revenge and crashed it.

"Twist ending," he murmured, turning away from his father's corpse.

He found Bonnie studying him, finally meeting his eyes for the first time since this whole misbegotten scene played out.

"How fascinating," Sybil said. "Excuse my eavesdropping, but in that little convo there, I heard plenty about how you're afraid to risk breaking the hex for fear of killing Elena. Are you saying you would have tried something sooner if it was only your own life on the line?"

The question, not quite from left field, was somewhere in the vicinity, and yet Kai couldn't help considering it, as he, Bonnie, and her twin all eyed the siren.

"Maybe," Bonnie's counterpart finally said. "I don't know." She gave a small, joyless laugh. "Cheating death's a hobby of mine. Why not?"

Kai stared, appalled.

"That's what I like about you, Bonnie," Sybil said. "Not just the loyalty, but you're dauntless. Now, what troubles me is that being dauntless and laughing in the face of death can sometimes be confused with being suicidal. Are you suicidal?"

"No."

"Then it must be guilt spurring you. Someone as self-sacrificing as you are," Sybil shook her head. "While the world might be better for it, you clearly haven't done yourself any favors. You suffer from a massive complex of some kind, Bonnie. Tell me-"

She broke off to point to one wall of the barn. Four separate images played there: one of a young girl in pigtails, stepping off a schoolbus, letting herself into a house, and grabbing snacks for herself, all alone but for the company of a stuffed bear; the second one more familiar to Kai because he'd once seen it on his own visit to Bonnie's memories-the night Bonnie cried over her grandmother lying dead on her bed; the third of Bonnie again sitting on another bed, this time tending to a pale, unconscious Abby; and the fourth another familiar memory to Kai, of Bonnie's father standing on a stage before a crowd, his throat gushing blood and Bonnie running, too late, towards him.

"Which one of these pushed you over the edge?" Sybil asked clinically.

The woman in question could only shake her head, tears filling her eyes.

"At what point did mourning your loved ones turn into a quest to take on the burden of being the whipping boy for your friends?"

"Enough!" Kai tracked Bonnie as she marched towards Sybil and invaded the siren's space, bristling. "Turn it off, you're not doing _yourself_ any favors approaching her this way."

The siren raised a brow, though the images on the wall faded. "Hit a nerve with both of you, did I?"

Bonnie ignored her.

"I think we're done here," she said quietly, turning to Kai.

"Okay," he said, just as calm, though something tight took hold of his ribs and the parts beneath it. The longer she held his gaze without saying anything else, the tighter his chest grew. The likelihood was that she shared all the same memories displayed just then, but unlike her counterpart, Bonnie had clearly learned a few tricks on how to manage herself. As someone who had been on the receiving end of his grandfather's Psych 101 sessions, he knew there sure as hell had to be a few cracks somewhere in her armor. Yet here she was, all dry-eyed indignation on behalf of her counterpart. Something in his ribs ached for this woman.

Instead of saying so out loud, he angled a crooked smile her way.

"Who do I have to kill to get a look inside your head right now?" he quipped.

Bonnie winced.

"Good one, idiot," he said under his breath.

The siren turned her focus back on Bonnie's double, who hadn't so much as twitched in the last few minutes. Her gaze was now stuck on the tuxedoed body a few yards away, missing its head. Kai didn't fool himself into believing she would let herself get overwhelmed with waves of remorse, or confess regret. Sure, it might be there, but the chances they'd actually witness her pull one out of her ass was slim. The woman simply struck Kai as short on potential and long on pride. She was too deeply entrenched in her own bias.

Sybil's look of expectancy dimmed.

"You don't see it?" the siren asked, almost cajoling. "How often in anyone's life does it happen? The chance to start over. But it only begins with knowing where you went wrong. You had so many missed opportunities, Bonnie. You can't deny that now. And if nothing else," added Sybil, her tone suddenly dripping with scorn. "Vengeance should have been _yours_. Not Damon's. Why would you let him claim Malachai's death for himself? Hasn't Damon taken enough from you?"

"Why are you badmouthing Damon? Isn't he your good little soldier now?"

"Yes. I don't allow that to blind me to his shortcomings. Unlike you, I can call my people out on their flaws."

"Is that what you think you're doing here? Trying to turn me into one of _your people_?" Bonnie scoffed. "As if."

"So quick to judge still, even when you now have proof that your judgment was way off about someone. Don't make the same mistake again." The siren paused, straightened, then in a different tone of voice, spoke more directly. "Damon might be my soldier, and I might have thought once he was enough. But lately, I've had doubts. You see, I don't know if vampires are really the best kind of friends to have. Would you agree, Bonnie?"

"If you believe that, why does Enzo think you're trying to put the Ripper in your pocket?"

"Better he be in mine than in someone else's. Cade's, to be exact. Here I thought you were the brains of the group. I can't deny it's useful having Damon as my soldier. Maybe soon, the Ripper will be my assassin." The siren sighed deeply. "But what I really need, Bonnie, is an ally. Someone who can act as my equal, or close to it. Someone I can respect, and put my trust in. I also need loyalty. In my very long lifetime, I've heard that Bennett witches have proved capable of delivering on all those fronts."

Bonnie scoffed, as did her counterpart-at the exact same time. Then they shared the same disgusted glance.

"Knew it, " Bonnie said. "She wants your magic."

"Figured," her double replied. "But I don't have it. She's barking up the wrong tree."

"It's never really gone, you know."

"I _don't_ know," came the curt reply. "Once I became the Huntress, it...left me. I haven't lit a candle since, but I do regularly almost give myself aneurysms trying."

"Well, at least you still have your handy dandy murder skills," Kai said.

He meant it, too. It wasn't sarcastic or to goad her in any way. But the woman stiffened and refused to acknowledge either his comment or his presence. Jaw clenched, Kai leveled another narrow-eyed glare at the siren. For once, she paid attention.

"Can you even look at the man, Bonnie?" Sybil asked.

"Which one?" the double intoned, dully. "With head, or without?"

Kai choked on a laugh. and when nobody else looked amused, promptly cleared his throat. A brand of delirium was setting into his brain, but he retained enough of his faculties to grasp what was happening. This intervention he and Bonnie had been dragged into was getting old, potentially detrimental to their relationship the longer it went, and most importantly-failing.

"Look, Sybil or siren or whatever it is you're called," he said. "I'm flattered you think we can help you out in this mental sojourn into slayer Bonnie's post-traumatic stress disorder. But you're not really doing me any favors. So, again, can we maybe move it along?"

"We have been."

Kai blinked.

"I don't appreciate being patronized, by the way. How _do_ you put up with him?" the creature mused, rolling her eyes at his girlfriend like... _they_ were girlfriends. Kai frowned.

"What did you think I've been doing this whole time? I'm capable of juggling a psychic connection and the world outside. As a matter of fact..."

Sybil trailed off, her lids falling shut. Kai's gut tightened, expecting another unwelcome change to their locale. But instead, two objects appeared in the woman's outstretched hands. Familiar, personal objects: his resurrection mask, and the cream handkerchief he'd gifted Bonnie back at Liv's wedding, before the ceremony started. Seeing both in the siren's possession took a monumental effort of control to keep Kai from lashing out, so he let his nails dig into his palms as he clenched a fist and turned to the creature grinning at them widely.

"Didn't realize we were playing finders keepers," he managed in a calm voice.

"We're not. You need your powers, I need your stuff. Let's call this a good old fashioned bargain."

"How'd you get those?"

"I told you," she all but sang. "I have my ways."

Still trying to curb his violent need to flay the creature alive, Kai subconsciously shifted closer to Bonnie-both of them, who regarded him back with the same eerie unease, as if they shared the suspicion that he was close to breaking. Despite the inherent differences in their view of him, they were on the same wavelength after all when it came to instinctively reading him. It was almost comforting. He went back and forth between the pair of identical faces, feeling his own grow relaxed. Tempted though he was, he wouldn't give into the urge to smash Sybil's head onto the nearest upturned chair leg. Granted, spacial awareness told him if he juuuust went at _this_ angle and used _that_ specific amount of force, the jagged leg in question would impale the siren square between her eyeballs. If he could summon the energy to try it...

"Kai," the two Bonnies intoned, though one's voice held fond tones, while the other went on to stare moodily in the distance.

"I'm not," he replied, resuming his innocent blinking. "What?"

"Maybe you've forgotten," Sybil said. "But I can read your mind. Harboring visions of my violent demise aren't standard negotiating tactics. Now, I can have you two lovebirds powered up and ready to go home in less than ten minutes. How's that for an offer?"

Bonnie-his-only shook her head. Nobody else spoke up. Sybil continued to beam at them all expectantly. The longer the silence stretched, the thinner her smile grew.

"I just told you two that you can go home. With your magic. And _still_ with the hostility?"

Kai waved a hand around the depressing barn. " _This_ isn't the kind of place for a friendly chat. And just to put it out there, but I'm pretty attached to that resurrection mask seeing as how it's a rarity in any world. Not to mention that handkerchief's got real sentimental value for us so if you could just hand them back along with restoring our magic...I can maybe counter your offer."

"With?"

Bonnie stepped up, crossed her arms, and glared. "Our blood. A vial each of mine and his, you've got the ingredients to cook up any kind to spell you want to weaken Cade."

"How would I do that without my witch?"

"I'm not your witch," muttered Bonnie number two.

"Find another one," said Bonnie promptly to the siren, pasting a cheery smile on her face. "Shouldn't be hard, you seem enterprising."

Sybil grimaced, oddly giving Kai hope. Now she would end this farce. Then her gaze turned to him, and grew contemplative. She had to know it was over. There would be no equal partnership with someone like this world's Bonnie Bennett. But fuck if this creature in her quest to gain it, hadn't thrown another curveball into the one Kai had with his own Bonnie. His fist spasmed in another unbridled urge, this time to jab one of the resting glass shards inside the siren's throat, the longer she kept staring at him.

"I went about this wrong," she said presently.

"You don't say," he drawled.

"Retreading missteps isn't going to be enough, is it?" she mused.

Bonnie herself intervened on behalf of her double. "You haven't given her enough time. This is all...a lot to take in. For everyone. She doesn't know you."

"At least go out for a coffee first or something," Kai drawled. "In my experience, baby steps is the way to go with this woman. And do not, I repeat, _do not_ -mention breakfast."

Sybil gave him a cutting glance. "If I'm impatient, it's because I've waited a long time for someone to help me that isn't a fairweather vampire friend _or_ my backstabbing sister."

Her answer hinted too much of frayed nerves. Potentially this could go downhill sooner rather than later. He needed to intervene again before something happened-an arrow hitting someone in the neck, a trip even farther into other-Bonnie's mindspace to explore more trauma from grade school when someone cheated off her test paper, who the fuck knew...he just wanted this over.

"Well," Kai began. "I can't help but see you're really invested in this project-"

"It's not a project," Sybil cut in. "You're not understanding my aim here. I was locked up for years in a vault where the only company I had were magical relics or dusty tomes. I've done my share of reading in my confinement. Lots of it included journals from a family of super-powered witches who liked to hide out in Mystic Falls." She peered at them with narrowed eyes. "Do you think in my three millenia of living that Bonnie and Lucy are the first witches I've encountered from their bloodline? I know what Bennett magic is capable of."

As she spoke, she lost the serpentine predatorial air and devolved into angry pacing.

"I don't understand you," she finished in a low, seething tone aimed at Bonnie's counterpart. "Allowing your heritage to stay dormant. I imagine someone of your caliber is capable of tearing down a hell dimension. With your help, we could strip the demon who runs it free of his power. You would be doing the world a favor by demolishing hell, Bonnie. Doesn't that sound like your cup of tea?"

"Even if I had the firepower to do what you wanted, how can I even reach hell, Sybil? What, am I supposed to go find a cliff to jump off in order to die- _again_ -and get to Cade somehow?"

"Nothing so dramatic as that. The vault that I was locked in carries interesting properties. It goes for miles and within its walls, you would be surprised where-or should I say _when_ -you end up. It's why I need a Bennett witch. You apparently are one of the few supernatural creatures around that can manipulate the vault's temporal anomalies. I can, too, to a certain extent using my psychic powers. But nowhere near the level that you would be able to."

Here, all three witches in the room paused, letting those words sink in. It was one thing to be exploited for one's powers, but another to be able to tap into hidden potential. Bonnie Bennett didn't have to explore that issue in their world, but in this one-well, the idea had possibilities.

"A-ha. Beginning to connect the dots now, I see," Sybil said, her voice sounding smug. She gave Kai and Bonnie disdainful glances. "You two think you're so special with your magical world-hopping? Try jumping through _time_." She turned back to the other Bonnie. "We do that, and we can get to Cade in one of his hibernation phases. Periodically, he assigns someone else to become hell's ward for a short amount of time. All we have to do is jump back to his last rest. You can combine your magic with your Huntress skills and help me take him out then."

"Which was when, exactly?" the former Huntress herself demanded.

"Four centuries ago."

"That," Kai said, raising his brows. "Is a _looooot_ of centuries to be messing with, lady. Have you really thought this through? There are consequences to messing with the time continuum."

"You could wipe out tiny pockets of civilization," Bonnie added in a disbelieving voice. "Undo things that have happened over the course of four hundred years."

"How?" Sybil asked scornfully.

Bonnie only gave her _that_ look, the one Kai had learned to read by now as the one she reserved for those who prompted her to secretly wonder 'you can't be that stupid, can you?' It was enough to bring out his own strained chuckle.

"You're plotting to take out someone who manages the time-out place for bad people. I..." Kai paused, honestly stumped how to explain the ramifications. "Am not sure where to start."

"You don't have to," Sybil said airily. "That's for the real Bonnie to work out. Right, Bonnie?"

The woman in question shook her head, immediately and firmly. "Not exactly, no."

"Are you turning me down because you think you can't ever bring your magic back?"

"I'm turning you down because I've helped one crazy bitch too many."

Sybil stopped, reared back, and audibly simmered. Something like the sound of tea boiling on the pot reached Kai's ears, from where the siren stood, her hands clenched tightly at her side as she stared at the woman she herself had termed the old version. Probably, she was regretting that right now.

This went beyond "a lot to take in" and more into migraine territory. One look at version 1.0's face, and stirrings of something like sympathy pulled at him. He couldn't dismiss it. The siren had brought them here, put her through an emotional yo-yo of an obstacle course by revisiting the barn where a version of him had committed mass onslaught, and now was outlining strategies for her on how to subdue hell and its keeper. Hare-brained, was the least offensive term he could use to describe it. Not unlike the shenanigans at Liv's wedding, actually-which seemed like so long ago now. But back them, he'd had the benefit of meeting _his_ Bonnie to offset every other bad thing that had happened. This travesty? There was no such balance. Bonnie from this sucky world hadn't been offered any kind of silver lining in the clouds of shit that seemed to hover over this dimension. The siren couldn't honestly believe any of this would sway the woman.

"It doesn't jive, Sybil," the ex-Huntress scoffed. "The tuning fork is the only thing holding you back. Once that's out of the way, couldn't you just do your siren thing and make me cooperate?"

"I don't want an unwilling partner. You need your powers and forcing you to reclaim them doesn't strike me as the best approach. You might turn on me."

"That can happen regardless."

"Would it help if I told you that I worked with another Bennett in the past? Actually," she stopped to narrow her eyes, "you look like her. It was enough to make me wonder if the witch I'd met long ago had gone rogue and embraced vampirism. It rarely happens, and I've never heard of one from your bloodline stooping so low." Sybil paused, lost in her memories. "But the last time I saw her, I got the impression she didn't expe-"

Here the siren stopped, as if remembering herself. She bit down on her lip, for the first time appearing doubtful. Her sentence could have ended any number of ways. Kai knew, though. He knew because from experience with _his_ Bonnie, it was a foregone conclusion. What struck him as funny in a shitty way, was how the Bennetts currently occupying the room looked puzzled. Of course they couldn't see it.

 _Expect to live much longer._

No way in _any_ hell he was letting his girlfriend stick around here and entertain similar expectations herself. Fuck this world. Suddenly, the siren's offer didn't seem so bad.

He took Bonnie's hand, giving her a hard, appraising stare, debating how to get his way. He could go into a reasonable, detailed list of why jumping into this world's issues would, by and large, curtail their own hope of going home anytime soon-judging by just the past hour of this mental intervention, he didn't see them leaving in the next week, if they ended up getting involved. But reasonable and detailed were sometimes things Bonnie seemed allergic to. So he went with option B. Even though he hated giving up his things. But a resurrection mask could be hunted down another day. And he could always conjure up a new handkerchief for Bonnie.

" _I_ believe her," he said lightly. "You probably do, too, I can tell. But that's not what matters. I vote we don't get tangled up in this. What's your vote? Oh, what's that?" He cupped his ear, pretending to lean in so he could better hear whatever she wasn't actually saying. "Same? Whew, thank God. For a second there, I thought we were gonna fight."

"Kai-"

"The real problem here," Kai went on, bulldozing over Bonnie's protest, "is the fine print. So, Syb, what was that you said about us leaving in ten minutes?"

"No, Kai, we can't just leave-"

"New counteroffer," he continued smoothly. "Make it five, and you have a deal."

He ignored Bonnie's sharp inhale and the sudden indignant rage that lit her eyes. Sybil nodded once, then glided over to the former witch in their midst, who had drawn both crossbow and dagger and now held them up to stay the siren's approach.

"I can't believe you're doing this," Bonnie seethed.

"It's fine," her counterpart said. "You guys are too winded to jump into this fray. I'll be okay."

"See," he replied. "She knows the score. So does old siren over there. To keep you safe and get us home, I'm willing to bargain with the devil himself."

"Thank goodness it didn't have to come to that," Sybil said. "You wouldn't like dealing with Cade."

For someone facing a loaded crossbow and gleaming daggers, the siren exuded calm as she studied the former Huntress. Neither weapon lowered. Kai pulled at the collar of his shirt, cracking his neck, hoping to remind Sybil that he didn't have all day. Beside him, Bonnie stood there probably entertaining all kinds of bad ideas on how to interrupt the deal. It didn't help that her angry gaze kept sweeping the poorly lit barn still unfortunately saturated with dead witches.

"You don't have the right to make decisions for me, Kai," Bonnie said.

"See, I knew you'd throw that at me, to which I say, fine. But it _is_ my responsibility to get back home to my coven, and ensure I stay alive in the process. Keeping you safe is just...a side benefit, let's call it. Does that make you feel better, minimizing my effort to help you? I know how awkward you get anytime someone gets the stupid idea to try to, I don't know, save your life."

"You're an ass."

A comforting smirk grew on his face in answer to her glare, but before he could say anything cheeky, pressure grew somewhere in the back of his head, squeezing his brain tight and keeping him from forming coherent thoughts, much less words.

"Kai," Bonnie said urgently. She was suddenly there, propping him up with her arms.

"I'm fine," he said, then smiled through the wave of shittiness hitting him. "What happened to 'I'm an ass?''"

"You still are," she said, biting her lip in concern as she eyed him.

"Now, now," Sybil cut in. "No bickering, you two. So unnecessary. Go back to being overprotective and goo-goo eyed with each other. It's actually refreshing compared to the dysfunctional relationships I've witnessed with this gang."

He and Bonnie barely spared her a glance. Kai guessed Sybil's plans for the night hinged a lot on the impression that he and Bonnie were making on her counterpart. Right now, he couldn't help it if he was giving off the wrong ones. If being pragmatic about going home to ensure Bonnie's safety and his coven's meant he needed to make dick choices, he had no fucks left to give.

"I didn't come here with the intention of convincing anyone that I'm good boyfriend material," he drawled. "Sorry, Sybil, but that's _your_ problem. _This_ Kai Parker has a coven back home to run. I refuse to let someone's martyr complex get in the way of that. And unfortunately for you, Bon," he said, turning slowly to face her soberly. "As the Gemini leader, I get to say when the Tesseract is used. Which is in approximately..." he peeked at his watch, squinting, "four minutes, ten seconds."

The siren wasted no time, returning her attention to the other Bonnie.

"We started off on the wrong foot," Sybil said to her. "If you could set aside your prejudice, I'd like to give you this." She presented the handkerchief. "An olive branch, if you will."

"I will never trust you. What did you do out there, while we've been stuck here?" Bonnie's counterpart nodded to the handkerchief and the mask. "Alaric had those in his safekeeping. If by getting them you've hurt my friends-"

"The worst that anyone can claim is a bruise in Alaric's case. Hurt feelings, for everyone else."

The siren probably had gotten a henchman or two to attack the Armory, Kai concluded. He narrowed his gaze, wondering how he would convince Bonnie to go along with anything if Sybil had actually gone and killed one of her counterpart's friends. That would be tricky.

"Have some faith in my talents," Sybil went on. "I'm a master multi-tasker. I spent centuries alone in a magical vault. I had to come to up with things to do. Reading, playing with the artifacts locked inside the vault with me...honing my psychic abilities." She studied both Bonnies. "Something you two might be familiar with. Some of you manifest those same powers yourselves. A few of the witches in your lineage were so adept they almost equaled mine."

That was met with a pair of blank stares.

"Your excitement is overwhelming," the siren said, rolling her eyes. "Comb through the Armory's archives with a closer eye. You'll find some interesting journals. A few are signed by your ancestors. Maybe reading those will convince you."

The other two women shared another glance, this time tinged with intrigue. Kai's own interest perked. As prolific as their lineage had been in terms of spellwork and the creation of magical relics using their blood, very few written detailed records remained that were originated by the small family of influential witches. The Geminis had been one of many covens that had gone looking for Bennett...anything, actually. More often than not, they had come up empty.

"But that's a conversation for me and you for another time, Bonnie B." With leisurely steps, Sybil drew nearer her target. "Right now, I think it's time I leave you with another parting gift."

The siren made a show of elegantly waving her hand behind her-coincidentally, somewhere in the vicinity of his dead counterpart. Hackles rose along the back of Kai's neck. He could recognize no spell, but something most definitely unkosher was happening. In the dim area near the makeshift altar where he'd last seen his corpse, a shadow twitched. From another corner of the barn, a tiny roundish object rolled along the floor, thudding softly on the ground as it did.

"Oh, my God," Bonnie whispered, sounding horrified. Her hand once more found Kai's, and gripped painfully.

Nobody else spoke. Kai couldn't keep his eyes away, his own mouth dropping open as he continued to watch his counterpart's severed head make its slow progress. It smeared a scarlet trail across the floor as it sought its neck, a squishing sound filling his ears when stump met stump and rubbed together in a bloody reunion. The corpse jerked several times, then rolled onto its back.

The dead man sat up, shook his head as if to clear it, and surveyed the room in confusion, blinking at the dim lighting as though they were too bright stadium lights. In foggy movements he stood, looking dazedly around him, taking in the fallen tables and broken chairs and the blood and the dead that welcomed him back to the scene of his last, murderous stand. When his eyes found their little group at the edge of the room, observing him in return, he stilled. He eyed Kai curiously, then Bonnie. Paused, tilted his head. Then the siren. Another shorter pause. Then finally, in a slow dragging way, his gaze landed on _her_. The right Bonnie-the one that belonged to him and his world and who, equally dazed, stared back.

 **I - I - I**

For the first few seconds as her brain tried to catch up with her eyes, Bonnie couldn't get past anything except relief that at least, now she knew what Sybil really wanted. She'd suspected it before-she'd done enough research on sirens and hell dimensions for Alaric, had heard enough of the story from the other siren about Sybil's grudge against Cade to form a vague conclusion about what the other woman truly wanted. Now, it was official. She had a score to settle with her master.

And Bonnie Bennett was being recruited to face down hell and the devil who ran it.

What Sybil didn't realize was that Bonnie had been there, done that. The empty, silent, repetitive solitude of the 1994 prison world for eight months straight had been Bonnie's hell. The single inhabitant it was created for who'd gutted her with his hunting knife and left her there to rot had been Bonnie's personal Lucifer, once upon a time.

And here he was again-Lucifer himself. Bonnie waited for that old insidious fear to creep over her, for the sweaty panic to take over, for that taste of bile that used to rise to her throat anytime she thought of Malachai Parker-him impaling her with an arrow, siphoning her magic, stabbing her, strangling her, ramming her across the room to break her ribs-

 _"Can we at least have one last dinner conversation before my eternity of aloneness resumes?"_

 _"I don't expect you to believe me. But I need you to give me one more chance."_

 _"I'll go if you go."_

 _"I wanted to apologize for anything I did that hurt you."_

It never came. Instead, she felt empty. That hollowness was mirrored in his own eyes as they stared across the space that stood testament to one of his worst acts in his life. She didn't know how long it lasted, hardly noticed anyone or anything else as he broke their gaze to flick a wary glance around at the Gemini corpses littered about. He didn't appear to wear this triumphant return too well-no. He looked rather like a faded carpet. His eyes showed no glee or remorse or anything other than a singular air of something she knew only too well:

Resignation.

Bonnie took a step towards him-

"I _love_ reunions!"

Jarred, Bonnie paused and turned to find a giggling siren.

"Hello, Malachai," Sybil said. "I apologize for crude methods, but it's the best I could do at the moment. Some of us are in a bit of a rush. Just hang tight. We'll see you shortly." She grinned at Bonnie with unfiltered glee. "Well, one of us will. Now...shall we, ladies and gents?"

The siren waved her hands with a flourish. Immediately, Bonnie's mind buzzed low; the dim barn began brightening. In a single, horrifying second, she glanced once more to her former nemesis, realizing what Sybil meant to do. She was pulling this specter of Kai Parker back out with them all, to escape to the real world. Bonnie reached out a hand to him, unsure if she was grabbing him to keep him from joining them-but where would that leave her?-or keeping him close to ensure that wherever they landed, she was near enough to neutralize him.

Oddly, he didn't shrink away from her, letting her hand find his arm.

Then the world went white. Bonnie swept alarmed eyes around-caught the pair of other-dimensional strays beside her, and all around them a familiar dark hall. She whirled again to see the Armory's holding cells facing her. Sybil stood inside one, in exactly the same spot she'd been before the visit to Bonnie's head. Everyone present and accounted for, except-

Bonnie glanced down at her hand-it was empty. The dark jacket she'd clutched moments ago was gone.

And so was Kai Parker, once more. She rounded on Sybil. The woman gave a knowing smile.

"Aww, are you already missing someone? Don't worry."

Sybil held out a hand, touching the glass that still caged her. It splintered beneath her palm, lines bleeding more lines to form a spidery web across the surface, the sound of CRACK growing louder until it finally shattered. The other Kai shielded her double behind him. Bonnie held her arm up to her eyes, but kept Sybil within her sight and tightened her grip on the crossbow when the siren gracefully stepped over the broken pieces of her cage, shaking off shards of glass like a swan shedding loose feathers.

The siren paused near all of three of them, surveying her handiwork.

"What the hell happened to you lot?" demanded a gruff voice.

Bonnie peered around. Enzo approached slowly, eyeing her with suspicion.

"That's none of your concern, Enzo," Sybil said airily.

"Is that any way to thank a bloke for his help?"

"Thank you. Now feel free to complete your last task, and be on your way. Not an order, just a suggestion."

As Enzo neared, Bonnie spotted small crimson smears on his jacket and shirt, and streaks of dirt on his pants. Somehow during their collective mental break, he'd not only gotten free but also been very busy, apparently. Dread fisted inside Bonnie's gut.

"What did you do?" she asked in a low, fearful tone.

"Nothing to write home about, luv," Enzo said, smirking as he placed a metallic cylinder the size of a small vase into one of Sybil's arms. "This one here offered me a means to escape-with a few caveats-and I decided it was high time to overlook bad blood between us."

Sybil smiled, albeit begrudgingly. "I'll admit, Enzo, you were always a better strategist than Damon."

"What did you do, Enzo?" Bonnie demanded again, angry now.

"I cleared the Armory, that's all. Your friends are alive, Bonnie. See, I don't need my humanity to know how to keep you happy."

"It's true," Sybil said. "While we four had our little field trip, Enzo took everyone to your little hidey-hole cabin. They're all there, safe and sound and asleep."

"Well," came the low drawl, "how nice for everyone. And lookit that, we're all caught up," Kai paused, clapped his hands together, staring expectantly with a sheen of impatience in his eyes. It contrasted his growing pallor. "Can Bonnie and I go home now, because we're a little past the five minute mark and I'm getting antsy."

Enzo exhaled as if annoyed, sharing a look with Sybil. She nodded. Enzo blurred to Kai, pulling out several more items from his pocket-among them, a wallet and the device that looked like a retooled Ascendant. The warlock's distrustful gaze grew considerably excited once he had everything in hand. Next to him, Bonnie's counterpart stayed shrouded in worried silence.

"That's everything minus the mask and the hankie," Kai said, cupping the heavy device in one large palm. "You guys even managed to polish my Tesseract. Thanks. And is it me, or are the gears on this thing spinning? That's our cue. Bonnie-"

"Go," his girlfriend urged. "I'll be right behind you."

Kai laughed. "Um, yeah. NO."

"You should leave right now, this is a magical world, I can find another Ascendant to rework into a Tesseract here, and _unlike_ you-I'm not a coven leader-"

"You have a job. Pretty sure I heard Damon mention you're low on your PTO bank."

"My boss knows my life is crazy. I can take unpaid days."

"Did I mention your friends who would really love to know you're alive?"

"Tell them. They'll believe you."

"To _see_ that you're alive?"

"Another couple of days waiting won't hurt."

Kai shut his mouth with an audible snap of his jaw. He looked around intently, but Sybil and Enzo could only stare back awkwardly, and when his gaze went to Bonnie's, she felt a totally unreasonable urge to apologize or...cringe. Was this the part where Bonnie was supposed to offer a sheepish smile and say 'oh, don't worry, twinsie, I've got it covered?' She didn't-not at all. Bonnie couldn't lie-not to herself, the woman would see right through it.

"Your mom's gonna be _so_ pissed," Kai offered, finally.

Bonnie's eyes grew wide. So did the other woman's.

"My mom?" Then her counterpart drew in a quick gasp. "My _mom_."

Kai gave a tiny smirk. "Forgot about her and Lucy, didja? They've been...holding vigil, Bon. Touching, really."

"They'll-understand," came the reply, though now it sounded far less adamant.

Kai lifted his hands, grit his teeth, and growled at his girlfriend. His hands fisted, then found his head, and another, louder growl erupted. "What's it take?!" he finally yelled, to nobody in particular.

Behind him, her counterpart crossed her arms, her expression clearly torn.

"Why can't we just go home, Bonnie?" He turned his back on them all, presenting them with a view of broad shoulders that took on a slump. "Aren't you tired?"

"Not yet, but I know _you_ are," she said. "You have to go, Kai. I'm not trying to guilt you into staying."

Bonnie watched her counterpart walk to the man, sliding her arms over his back and shoulders, before a pair of small hands turned him around. He stared down at his girlfriend as her hands cupped his face, stroking the stubble that grew along his hard jaw. His entire expression was stoic but for his eyes, which carried such a look of desperate pleading, and longing, and love-

Bonnie had to force herself to look away.

 _Do you know why I'm here?_

"I told you, Bon. I'm not leaving without you."

"Kai Parker, I'm not a damsel in distress."

"No, but you _are_ a member of the Council now. I do believe I outrank you, and since technically, you're here right now in advisor capacity as a result of Gemini business, I can order you to come home with me."

"You wouldn't."

Bonnie watched the turmoil in his gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing as he worked out a reply. "I can't leave you, Bon."

 _Because my guilt keeps me up at night._

"I told you...I'll go if you go."

Confused, Bonnie nearly choked on air. Had she heard that for real...or in her head? Kai in the room had said it out loud, she was sure, but her thoughts were muddled because she also heard him even nearer, echoing in the chambers of her brain, and when anytime her lids closed, the image of him looked different. Younger, less stubble, and he wore a hoodie and dark blue coat and carried more guilt in his gaze. Bonnie shook her head, trying to clear it. The room grew too small-or she was invaded, somehow, by a presence that caused her brain to tighten, and the rest of the world to wobble. She couldn't breathe for a moment, reached out as if seeking help. Someone gripped her fingers, patting the back of her hand, whispering something she couldn't quite hear through her muffled ears.

"What's happening?" Bonnie gasped.

"You're sharing head space," came the soft, beguiling voice in her ear. Sybil stood close, her eyes on the other couple, who were now locked in an embrace. "Siphoners are special little parasites. I've gone ahead and fully restored the one you lost, since judging by your twin over there, there's a big chance you can learn to work well with him. You're welcome, by the way."

"Restored?" Bonnie echoed faintly, dread welling up. "What does that mean?"

Sybil pulled her to the side, a strange smile lighting her face. "If it'd been any other two people, I wouldn't have been able to do it. But Kai Parker is a siphon. The thing about them to know is, it's more of a two-way street than most witches realize. When a siphon leeches magic from another supernatural, a little psychic imprint gets left behind in the process. Typically, those imprints are temporary. But you, Bonnie Bennett, are a latent psychic. Even though he died, the mental residue you carried was never truly gone from your consciousness. Faded, maybe. But always there."

Bonnie shook her head.

"Ever dreamt about Kai all these years?"

She nodded.

"Did they feel more real than other dreams?"

Bonnie clutched her temple, throwing her head back to lean against the wall. This wasn't happening.

"Relax, Bonnie. It's not taking away your agency. You have the right to bar him from any of your thoughts. You can keep him locked away forever in a shack if you so wished. But I seem to recall from one of Damon's memories I sifted through...the last time you had trouble accessing your magic, it was Kai that spurred you to bring it back. I restored him inside your mind, in order to restore _you_."

Bonnie didn't want to hear this. Worse, she was afraid _he_ was, somewhere inside of her head. Seeing all of it, through her eyes.

"God," Bonnie whispered, appalled.

Was he witnessing, even now, the other pair of Bonnie and Kai yards away, violating each other's personal space with the kissing and-groping-

"Ugh, I'm gonna be sick," Bonnie eked out.

"Me before you, luv," Enzo said, joining her and Sybil. "Do I really need to stick around for this?"

Sybil studied everything carefully, her eyes going back and forth among everyone. Then she cleared her throat. "Have you two reached an agreement?" She called out.

"We're leaving," the other Bonnie said. "In one hour. There's just something I want to try-"

"Oh, Lord." Sybil gave an exasperated roll of her eyes. "I'm guessing you're both very smart and just unusually drained right now. Which is why I should remind you that it's a risky gambit. For someone who just recently ingested vampire blood, I mean. Damon?"

Old instincts flared to life, but Bonnie was off her game and missed the moment someone else blurred into the room. An unseen force ripped her counterpart away from Kai. Bonnie moved to action, only too late. When the dust cleared, the end of her crossbow was pointed at Damon, sneering back at them all. He kept the other Bonnie in a viselike grip, poised to break her neck.

"No, no, no, no, no, what're you doing?" Sounding frenzied, but moving slowly, Kai approached the pair, his hands out in a sign of surrender. "Don't do anything stupid, okay? Your boss worked out something with us. Tell him, Sybil."

"Oh, he knows," she replied. "Think of it as him enforcing the terms of the contract."

"I'm just here to make sure the guests don't overextend their stay," Damon quipped. "Otherwise, your girlfriend here joins the league of undead. And if I must say, I've always wondered how well Bonnie would wear the fangs. How 'bout you, loverboy?"

Bonnie stalked closer, wrath clearing her mind and sharpening her reflexes. An arrow flew out, lodged itself in Damon's neck. Blood gurgled out. He choked, but his grip on her double held.

"Dammit, Bonnie," he ground out, slapping a hand over the arrow and wrenching it out of his jugular.

"Easy, luv," Enzo said.

"Get away from me!" Bonnie yelled. Enzo shook his head in warning.

Sybil clucked in disapproval.

"Having faith in you implies that nobody would get hurt!" Bonnie accused her. "Let her go!"

Sybil cut her eyes to Damon. There seemed a tiny battle of wills between master and minion, before Sybil pointedly said, "Do as she says."

He stepped back, hands up.

"That," Sybil said, "was just an example. I have no intention of hurting anyone here tonight. But there are others involved in this conflict-my sister, Cade-and I can't speak for them. You pair need to remember that." She made another motion, and this time Enzo pointed a tiny device at the other Bonnie and Kai. Alaric's power inhibitor lit once, died out, and with it came the rush of energy that signaled magic was abuzz in the room.

"My end of the deal is done," Sybil continued. "You can choose to attack me, prolong what I suspect has been a really exhausting trip. And _maybe_ die. Or you can call it a day."

Bonnie saw the pair turn to look at her, both their gazes conflicted. She shook her head back at them. "Go home. You've done enough."

 _Damage_ , she wanted to add, although the urge to say so didn't ring true in her head. Her head, that was now occupied by Kai.

"Yes, finally," Sybil agreed vehemently. "Someone speaking sense. You see why I'm set on you, Bonnie?" Her shoulder dipped up in excitement, as she beamed a smile at the other couple. "You have her blessing, happy now? I wish we had balloons and a cake to show my appreciation of all that you both have done in your short time with us. But in lieu of that, why not accept my congratulations?"

"On what?" her twin demanded. Behind her, Kai started muttering, closing his eyes as he gripped the device he called the Tesseract. Loose strands of silver and blue burst out eagerly from his form, rushed to the device, then wrapped around the couple.

"Everything!" Sybil continued beaming. "Your future engagement? And wedding, and little coven heirs, and happy royal magical reign over all the witches in all the land? I don't know...just be happy! And go already."

A tunnel of light abruptly flared to life above the couple. Bonnie shielded her eyes from the glaring brightness, clutching her weapons tightly as wind kicked in from the force of magical energy. The light reached past the ceiling, casting the room in a dazzling glow. The tunnel grew wider and brighter, emitting stronger gusts. The few lamps on the walls tore from their casings, shattered glass from the broken holding cell danced in the air. A few pieces cut Bonnie's face, but she barely felt it, as she stared at the bright, dominating light that now completely engulfed the figures in its center. She no longer saw the counterparts.

Half-formed thoughts of properly saying good-bye guided her, and she moved towards it.

 _Take me with you,_ came the distant thought.

Was it her own, or Kai's?

Sybil's face swam before her.

"Now you have a roommate," the siren said. "I suggest you set up some ground rules. That's always a good idea. I'm hoping this works out the way it should. Try not to be so...resistant, Bonnie. It will go better for you if you unclench. Remember our visitors. They figured it out, right?" Even amidst the sudden hurricane that gripped the room, Sybil made a show of elegant escape, tossing one last considering look over her shoulder. "And if by chance you two don't get it together, well, I do have that." She pointed to the dark metal cylinder Enzo had given her earlier, now being carried by Damon. He tapped it cheerfully. Sybil then held up the leathery Sumerian mask. "And this. Resurrection mask plus Kai Parker's remains equals a resurrected powerful warlock who, as evidenced by his double, is a little more open to negotiations than you."

Bonnie watched her exit, her disbelief fading by the second. This _was_ happening, because shit like this. Just. Couldn't. Be. Made. Up. She simply wasn't that creative. In her long career as town protector, bad luck was her one and consistent truth. She had to laugh. When a chortle escaped her, she couldn't help wondering if it belonged to her or Kai.

Meanwhile, she took in the light tunnel, its edges now skirting her feet. Once more she moved towards it-to call out a good-bye, her brain argued-but a firm grip caught her.

"Ah-ah, luv." Enzo stared at her speculatively. "Your work's not done here. Come on."

He whisked her away from the Armory, landing them on the front lawn. Whatever the spell was Kai had worked, its magnitude spanned the length of the sky. The bright beam stretched far beyond the eye could see and into outer space.

"Wow," Bonnie breathed.

"Yeah. I suppose it packs a wallop. Impressive, if you're into that sort of thing. But see here, I've got to deliver on one last task before I go."

He pressed something inside her hand-the handkerchief. What had Kai said about it? Something about sentimental value. Without thought, Bonnie grabbed it, finding comfort in how soft it was. She held it up to her cheek, sensing magic at the touch. Her eyes caught on a corner of the creamy cloth. She peered closer. Letters swayed into view, forming silver-blue words that shimmered. A relic of his magic, she realized.

 _B-_

 _You're really beautiful._

 _K._

The words floated in her vision, over and over like stray leaves in the wind. Bonnie glanced at Enzo. Keen brown eyes that once had been so familiar now looked foreign, replaced instead with a pair of gray-blue flints. Bonnie reached up, touched Enzo's face, and then frowned. Felt wrong.

"Bonnie," Enzo said.

She blinked. There went Kai. In a tux, holding out the handkerchief, and there she was. Dressed to the nines, looking both terrified and-aroused. Bonnie balked. What _was_ this?

"I think I should take you home," Enzo said. Right after that, a sonic boom shook the Armory and its grounds. Above their heads, the light spread out, encasing the town as far as her eyes could see.

 _ **"Dropped this."**_

 _ **When she reached out her hand to grab the handkerchief he held out that she had never once before seen in her life, Kai took a moment to stroke her hand with his finger. The one that carried one of his rings. The one she'd felt earlier, in his room. Inside of her. Coaxing. Drawing out her madness. Bonnie's blood grew heated, and other parts of her, but she couldn't let anyone see that he was doing this. How she reacted to him. He had no such reservations, merely kept staring at her like she was breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and how this boy could eat-she already knew well from their shared meal this morning. Damn Kai. She wished desperately to flee, but also-maybe find an empty room at the lodge and let him taste her. Long, hard, and at their leisure.**_

 _ **"Thanks," was all she could manage.**_

"Bonnie!"

But she could barely hear Enzo. As the tunnel of light in the sky faded away, visions erupted behind Bonnie's lids-impossible, unbearable images that seized her mind and warmed her cheeks. Her with Kai grinning at her, far too near, in a hoodie and with a huge smear of orange across his chest. The pair of them hiding behind a mannequin in a bridal dress, stealing kisses while Liv and another woman stood just feet away. In a small room, arguing as he sat on a bed and she slapped a bandaid on his head; in the same room, on the same bed, knocking into furniture while they clawed at each other's clothes and practically sucked each other's faces off-Bonnie gasped against the memories. But they continued their assault.

Slumping against a cold vampire, she surrendered to the insanity with a last, defiant, murmur-

"Dammit, don't look, Kai."

The skies grew dim. Seconds later, so did the rest of the world, as Bonnie closed her eyes. Just before she blacked out, she heard it...faint, but somehow close. A whisper in the dark. Him.

 _Fat chance, Bon._

 **I-I - I-I - I-I**

Kai groaned as he sat up, picking off sharp branches that stabbed through his clothes, ignoring his body's insistence on passing out.

Bonnie was crouched next to him, peering over with concern alight in her eyes. He looked the rest of her over wearily, noting her overall steadiness, then shook his head clear as he took in the dark quiet around them. The only sound that filled his ears were overhead branches of swaying trees and their own breathing, slowly growing steady. A sense of rightness settled over him, an intrinsic sense of being, finally, where he should be. His magic grew tranquil as he closed his eyes again and gave in to a moment of unfiltered exhaustion.

"Stay with me, Kai," urged Bonnie.

"Mm. Sure."

"Feel close to death?"

"Nope."

A beat passed, then, "You think she'll-"

"Be okay? Yeah. She's _you_."

In Bonnie's small sigh, he heard her lingering anxiety and guilt.

"Nap with me," he said, blindly reaching for her hand, the warm familiarity of her skin on his putting a smile on his face.

They were home. She could worry all she wanted, but dragging her out of that fire was no tiny miracle, he had no regrets whatsoever, and he'd do it again without hesitation.

"We made it," he said.

"To a forest. Not yet all the way home. Let's go."

"Can't rest in bed all day if we do that," he murmured, pulling her down to his chest. If they slept in this little niche of woodsy calm for the next hour or two, he'd be content. "Yours or mine. Let's go somewhere nobody can bug us."

"You said, and I quote: 'I have a coven to run and I won't let someone's martyr complex get in the way.'"

He swallowed a smug smile. "I love how you memorize the things I say, Bon."

She merely gave a soft snort.

"Anyway, I can run the Geminis fine from here. As long as I'm on the same earthly dimension. Nap with me."

"You need more than a nap. You look terrible."

"Thanks, babe."

The silence spread, blanketing them comfortably. Vague, distant visions of the world they had just escaped tried to butt into his thoughts but his mind was too drained to be bothered. He could almost write it all off a nightmare, vivid and fleeting and now-over. No need to ever dwell on that landscape of total shit.

"I have a safehouse up in New York," Bonnie said haltingly, in a near whisper. "With a real bed and everything. Once we let the others know we're back..."

The unspoken part of her sentence lingered invitingly in the air. Yes. A grin of pure joy grew on his face. Safehouse. Alone with Bonnie. He let his hand brush through tendrils of her hair, caressing.

"I think I can summon the mojo to portal us there," he said, trying to hide the feeble in his voice.

Bonnie kept quiet. For ten long seconds, Kai counted the feel of her breaths against his chest. But still, she said nothing. That in itself was weird. Her breathing grew slower. Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to find her own had shut. Kai indulged in a moment of awe, just staring. Bonnie was napping. With him. His chest constricted, not superficially from the weight of her head on it, but somewhere deeper beneath his skin, that grew ever tighter from watching the way her lashes curled against her cheek, made plumper as it slumped against his jacket. Her skin glowed. Or maybe that was his own blurry vision playing with him, but either way-watching someone sleep had never been this compelling. He really was in trouble. The lengths he'd gone to for her, risking himself and his coven. There was a type of madness that seized him because of her. Was this what all those dumb songs were about?

He stroked the back of his finger against her cheek. Then flinched when something stung him-a black whip that lashed from her skin to his hand.

"Ow."

Kai angled his head for a better look. Slivers of black wound its way around her temples, stretching longer around her jaw, then her neck, smoke trailing the dark strands as they possessed more of Bonnie.

"That can't be good."

Expression possessed her form, curling protectively around her, wrapping her in its embrace. Still unconscious, her magic took hold of her, lifting her body away from Kai. He sat up, a different sort of heaviness now in his chest as he stared at the transformation. The beginnings of a cocoon took shape around her.

"Okay, Kai," he said, nodding to himself, keeping panic at bay. He cracked his knuckles, then lifted a hand and gave the coating of magic around Bonnie an experimental tap with his finger, ignoring the sickening sound of his skin sizzling, burned by the black pulsing magic. "Time to earn your keep."

He siphoned it off, struggling to stay upright as the force of Expression took him over. It was akin to siphoning black magic-only purer, more visceral, less an insidious crawl through the fibers of his being, and more a surrender to something raw and absolute. Unlike black magic, which threaded through his veins beneath his skin whenever he leeched someone of it, Expression tried to coat him in the same way it sheltered Bonnie, only with him, Expression was laying carnage to his skin, melting it off in layers as it attempted to settle into him.

"Ffff-fuck me," he gasped, eyeing his exposed fatty tissues and muscle, their edges singed. He grit his teeth and drew on the last reserve of Gemini ancestral spirits. The wave of familiar magic inside him reared back and lashed out, angry. The spirits were offended.

 _Sorry,_ he pleaded. _Need her safe. Help?_

The sudden jolt of energy gave him the strength to maintain his hold, even as the smell of burning skin-his own-reached his nose. Expression poured over him, a hissing black tar of magic encroaching his body, trying to invade his mind. But he'd been trained too well first by his grandfather, then by Maggie, to let symbiotic magic overtake him, and he wasn't a Bennett prodigy to make lemonade out of a poisonous lemon.

A pained groan escaped Kai, but still he siphoned off more, Gemini magic colliding with the Expression and then-somehow fusing with it, for the barest moment turning the world askew. Abruptly, patterns crossed his entire field of vision, threading matter together. He was tempted to give it a try, pluck at the threads-

But no. Goddammit, he was done with this shit. What the fuck _was_ this even?

Magic-either the Expression turning benign, or his own being protective-worked to heal the burns on his body, as the last of the cocoon slid off Bonnie, simmered over him, then dissipated into air. Smoke settled in the clearing. Kai blinked through it, moaning to himself at the feeling of his skin knitting back together in tiny increments, dimly registering that Bonnie was now back on the ground, dozing atop dead leaves.

He dropped to his knees, crawled to her, and lay his head on her stomach, dazed and hurting, but above all, relieved.

"Kai?" came the soft murmur, moments later, that made him glad he hadn't passed out yet.

"Hiya."

"What happened? Did I fall asleep?"

He gave a small, choked laugh. "Something like that."

Then, recognizing the blurry, darkening edges of his vision as a prelude to yet another unwanted event, Kai mentally recited a familiar incantation, hoping that in this state he wasn't butchering the words. His magic sparked to life, not quite with the same rush of energy he was used to, but the currents wrapped over him and Bonnie both, and knowing that was enough. As the portal grew around them, his eyes closed in weary surrender.

* * *

A/N: Hi. :) Kai's back! Woot woot! Thought I should put this chappie out sooner rather than later, being that elements I've used for canon BK is kinda stuff the show is using (psychic imprint) too. Should I be happy or worried I'm on the same wavelength as TVD writers? (O_o)

Thanks for hanging in there, folks. For the reviews, the PMs, even the kinda heated discussions on the reviews page. I especially want to thank the reader who PMd letting me know about the drawings for this fic by a super talented soul on her (his?) tumblr account. I'm giddy and honored and motivated to finish this story for you guys. That being said, we are near the end, probably 2 chapters left.


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